The politicians husband
by GOthIC-anGELz
Summary: Naruto Uzumaki, Social worker and community volunteer. Nagato Gakure, politician and husband of Naruto. Sasuke Uchiha,Co-CEO of Sharingan corporation and financial back of Nagato's campaign for mayor. Seeing Naruto unhappy in his marriage Sasuke begins to pursue the blonde in hopes of a relationship. Will Naruto leave his husband? Sorry for the crappy summary! better then it sounds
1. Introductions

Naruto stood at the corner of the extravagant room, his eyes wandering over the crowd in an uneasy manor. He tried to kill time by taking in the room's detail, it was beyond comprehension to him the wealth it portrayed and made him feel even more uncomfortable. He didn't fit in at places like these. Naruto was a hard working citizen, even though he didn't have to be. The kind of money thrown into the event he was attending just made him feel sick. Trust fund babies, CEO's, lawyers and politician's, the kind of people Naruto despised. He always thought they had so much money they had no idea what to do with it but he could think of a few ideas.

Naruto scanned the crowd again, looking for his husband. He wanted to laugh at the irony of it all. Naruto, the ex-street kid turned social worker married to a rich politician, the very kind of person he despised. He didn't know why his husband even bothered dragging him to these events, he knew Naruto struggled to mix with the upper class crowd. A waiter passed him and asked if he wanted something to eat, Naruto decline. Flash looking finger food didn't entice him in the slightest. Naruto gave a weak smile to his husband who waved him over to where he was enthusiastically. If he was honest with himself he hated how the man treated him as a prize to be shown off or at other times like a charity case.

"Itachi, Sasuke, I'd like you to meet my husband, Naruto" he put a fake smile on his face as his husband wrapped his arm around his tuxedo clad waist. He gave a curt nod to the two men. If Naruto wasn't so deflated about being paraded around like a piece of meat he probably would have spent more time taking in the two breath taking men in front of him. Each with pitch black tresses' of hair, chiselled high cheek bones and soul piercing onyx eyes that would have immediately stopped Naruto in is tracks, but tonight he just didn't care to notice.

"You never told me you we're married Nagato" the older sibling, who Naruto assumed was Itachi stated. The man held out his hand and Naruto shook it quickly. Nagato let out a soft laugh, pulling the smaller blonde closer to him. Naruto could feel the younger sibling's eyes on him and he gave him a quizzical look. It wasn't uncommon for people to stare at him, he had grown use to it over the years since it wasn't exactly normal to have whisker like scars on a person's cheeks. The look Sasuke was giving him though was as if the man was watching something that interested him. Naruto blushed which caused the man to give him a slight smirk.

"Naruto's never been one for these kind of events. He spends most of his spare time helping out at youth shelters" It would seem to most people that Nagato was proud of his husband being so generous but Naruto knew otherwise. The man hated him spending time in the lower class communities, always raving at him that if he spent any more time around unsavoury people he would eventually become one himself. Naruto had to remind him on many occasions of his childhood roots.

"How charitable" Itachi smiled. Naruto found himself smiling back. The man, although reserved had a strange warmth to him and seemed genuinely interested in Naruto's volunteer work. "How long have you been volunteering for?"

"Since I was old enough to" Nagato squeeze his waste slightly and Naruto knew it was a warning. "It's always nice to give back to the community…"

"It must be a stark contrast to a place like this" Sasuke inquired, waving his hand around to indicate the room they were in.

"If you mean a room filled with people throwing money down the drain that could be spent in better places then yes…it is" Sasuke raised his glass to his lips, his eyes holding a slight twinkle in them that Naruto couldn't quite place. Nagato coughed, indicating his displeasure with Naruto's answer. He should have kept the snide comment to himself but he couldn't help it. It frustrated him to see people throwing money down the drain when there were starving children on the streets.

"Quite the brash one my Naruto is" Nagato uneasily smiled.

"No, it's quite alright. These events do take up money that could be used elsewhere" Itachi winked at Naruto, easing his nerves. If Nagato wanted Naruto to converse with these two men it meant they we're important, if he blew if for his husband he hated to think the temper Nagato would have when they arrived home.

"Itachi and Sasuke are funding my upcoming campaign for city mayor" it all clicked for Naruto. These two men was his husband's way into the top position.

"Tell me Naruto, where would you like to see the money spent?" Naruto looked up to Nagato who looked strained but he nodded for him to answer. Sasuke was watching him closely again.

"Education on the prevention of family violence, better funded sex education programmes in schools, more money poured into youth support facilities and more funding for apprenticeship programs…I could ramble off a whole list if you really wanted me to but those are the one's I'm more focused on at the moment" he didn't care if Nagato was angry at him. Sasuke had asked and he had given him permission to speak about it so he didn't see a point in holding back.

"Those are some very interesting idea's you have Mr?" Naruto unwrapped Nagato's arm from his waist, the man's grip was becoming painful.

"Uzumaki. Wishful thinking on my part, the corporation's that hold the sway to push those actions will never do it. Keep the nation dumb and they won't cause a problem right?" Naruto scowled deeply. He hated how the world worked. The working man tricked into thinking they had any power at all when it was really the rich deciding everything for their own benefits.

"Naruto!" his husband scolded, his face red with embarrassment. Naruto shrugged, he was sick of being amongst those responsible for the suffering of others.

"I'm very sorry for my husband's rudeness" Nagato quickly apologised. Naruto let out a snort, he did tell his husband right from the start it was a bad idea bringing him.

"Its fine, it's actually refreshing hearing someone speak so passionately about the welfare of others. Don't you agree Sasuke?" Naruto wondered what Sasuke would say, now finding himself equally intrigued. The two men had surprised him. Usually when Naruto mentioned anything along the lines of what he had said, people would look down at him in distain.

"He has some valid points, maybe it's something we should look into…" Naruto felt frozen on the spot as Sasuke's eyes bore into his cerulean blue ones. It was almost like he was trying to entice him to say more, to see how far he would push it. "Nagato, you should bring Naruto to Sharingan corp at some point. I would be _ver_y _interested_ to discuss his ideas further"

"That sounds like a great idea. As you said Mr Uzumaki, it is the big corporations that control these things" Naruto felt his blush crawl back up to his cheeks. He began thinking the two brothers we're laughing at him in some way.

"I'm leaving Nagato, I'll see you at home. Itachi, Sasuke, it was lovely meeting you. Enjoy the rest of your evening" He spun on his heel, quickly making his way out of the lavish mansion. Naruto had never felt so humiliated in his life. He had honestly thought the two men were interested in what he had to say but no, they were just making fun of him and his ideals. He shoved his hands into his pant pockets, his head hung low as he angrily kicked the gravel path under his feet. How dare they make fun of him because he wanted to make a difference. What was it about people with money thinking they were better than everyone else!

Naruto wanted to scream in frustration. This is why he hated coming to these stupid things with Nagato. It made him feel small and worthless, that his efforts meant absolutely nothing and that no matter how hard he tried he couldn't change a damn thing. And that Sasuke! Looking at him like he was some sort of play thing! He had gotten his hopes up that someone had finally listened to him just to dash them a split second later.

Naruto sighed. He had no clue how he was going to get home. Nagato had driven them here and he was pretty sure his husband was too pissed off at him right now to even give him a lift back. Naruto began to think about his marriage. When Naruto had first met Nagato he was an up and coming politician. One with a head full of dreams that coincided with Naruto's own ideas. The two had clicked immediately, entering into heated discussion about how they could change things in Konoha. After a while the two began dating and eventually married. Naruto had started to wonder though why they even got married now, questioning whether or not Nagato asked him purely for political purposes.

It made Naruto sad. This charming man who was once outspoken about changing the world one child at a time was now embarrassed about his younger self's ideals. Embarrassed that he was married to Naruto, who worked as a social worker and in his spare time volunteered at the youth centre. It was one of the reasons why Nagato had convinced Naruto to keep Uzumaki as his last name, not wanting anyone in the lower districts to connect Naruto to him. He said it was to protect Naruto, that there were some people who would want to hurt him for being married to a politician. Naruto stopped and looked up at the clear sky, the stars shining brightly down on him. How did things end up this way?

….

Sasuke watched Naruto leave, his eyes trained on the man's every movement. To say that the blonde vixen had caught his eye would be an understatement. The second the youngest Uchiha had set his eyes on him he pictured the man in numerous positions under him. He wasn't expecting the man to be so challenging though, being the husband of a politician he expected a compliant, housewife type of man. But no, the bright eyed blonde had pushed the boundaries and it became clear he was a rare type of human being. Sasuke had never met anyone like him in his life. The way he was so brash and filled with passion made Sasuke's heart beat in his chest and he knew right then he had to steal him away from Nagato.

"I'm sorry about that, he's quite spirited" The deep red haired, potential mayor cringed. Obviously embarrassed by Naruto's attitude. It annoyed Sasuke that Naruto's so called husband treated Naruto as if he was a burden. If he was with him Sasuke would be proud to have such an outspoken and strong willed partner.

"Please, don't apologise. It was nice to meet someone with so much conviction" Sasuke knew his brother couldn't stand the man in front of them either. They we're Uchiha's though, they knew when to back a winning horse and Nagato was the clear favourite for Mayor.

"That would be due to his street days, he's a bit rough around the edges but I assure you by the time I start on my campaign ill have them ruffled out" Sasuke wanted to growl at the man. There wasn't anything wrong with Naruto, in fact he was probably the most decent person that had been at event. It also got under his skin that Nagato was talking about Naruto as some kind of wild animal that needed to be tamed and broken.

"Maybe it is you that is rough around the edges" Sasuke spat out. Itachi gave him a knowing smile while Nagato looked shocked at Sasuke's reply.

"Excuse me?" Nagato glared down at Sasuke, trying to intimidate him which caused Sasuke to scoff. He was an Uchiha, Co-CEO of the Uchiha legacy, Sharingan Corporation. He had the power to make or break the purple eyed politician in a second. If he did that though he would reduce his chances of seeing the captivating blonde again.

"We should be going, people to greet and food to be eaten. We will see you next week to discuss your campaign budget" Itachi pulled on the back of Sasuke's tuxedo jacket lightly. Sasuke nodded and followed his older brother, the man they left behind leaving a strong distaste in his mouth. "You're interested in his husband aren't you?"

"Whatever gave you that impression oniisan?" Sasuke growled out. Itachi chuckled, handing him a champagne flute.

"It's not like you to lose your temper so quickly, especially around potential clients, Otouto" Sasuke frowned as he realised his mistake. He had let his Uchiha mask down, letting his emotions betray him.

"I just hated how he treated him that's all. Naruto had some good idea's it was frustrating to see them being shut down. It was almost like he had to ask permission to even voice his opinion" Sasuke watched as people began to gravitate towards them. Fake smiles of politeness surrounding them. "Do you mind if I take my leave Oniisan? I'm not in the mood for pleasantries" Itachi gave him a nod, indicating his agreement.

"Sleep well, Otouto" Sasuke quickly made his way to the exit, his head held high but ignoring anyone's attempts to engage him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Nagato watching him and sent him a challenging smirk. Nagato raised the glass in his hand to him in acknowledgement. It seemed the game's had begun.


	2. Decision

A/N: Chiko92: thank you for your review! i know Nagato is an Uzumaki but in my story they are not related. The reason i chose Nagato was because of his background. I wanted a character that originally had good intentions but along the way they became twisted as they have in my story (which is explained in this chapter). I hope that clears up why i have chosen him for the part of the politician! :)

To everyone else who reviewed, followed or Favorited this story thank you! i was a bit shocked at the response i got from posting just the first chapter and am really grateful people are interested in it. It was an idea that had been swimming around in my mind for a few days and thought it was worth investing time into! so please keep reviewing as it means alot to me!

...

By the time Naruto made it home it was well past midnight. His feet ached from the long walk, his shoulders stiff from the cold and his fingers numb. It had been a long walk home, one Naruto never wanted to repeat again. He swore under his breath, cursing his husband. The bastard hadn't even bothered to answer Naruto's numerous phone calls. His knuckles clenched painfully around the door handle, groaning with frozen stiffness. Surely Nagato was worried about him. Naruto scoffed at the idea, he probably enjoyed knowing Naruto had walked the two hour long journey home; some sick kind of punishment for embarrassing him.

The door creaked open and the cold blonde sighed at the warmth that hit him; receding his shivers to small tremors. Naruto marched his way quickly into the lounge, settling himself in front of the still lit fire. He held his hand's up to let the fire bring warmth back into them and fight of the frosty bite they had obtained. Never in Naruto's life had he felt as relieved as he did now, it was almost as if he could feel himself melting. He quickly stripped off his coat jacket to expose more skin to the flame and sat crossed legged in front of it. Naruto decided right then that he wasn't a winter person and he would be ecstatic for the bitter season to disappear.

"I was starting to wonder where you got to" Naruto flinched, Nagato's tone held no concern for him whatsoever and he almost began to feel a chill again.

"Really? I did tell you…or did you not bother to check your phone at all?" he spat out, not moving from his spot in front of the burning wood. Nagato walked up behind him and sat down. Wrapping a blanket around Naruto and began to rub his shoulders.

"It died at the party. I'm sorry Naruto, if I knew you had to walk all that way I would have come to get you" Naruto leant back into his husband out of habit. Then man's arm's engulfed him and between him, the blanket and the fire he felt his temperature rise quickly.

"How did you know I walked if your phone was dead?" Naruto retorted. He didn't believe Nagato in the slightest. "I could have caught a taxi"

"You had no money on you and considering the time plus how cold you look it's not hard to figure out" Naruto felt the red head place a kiss into the back of his head. "I'm sorry love"

"Whatever Nagato…" Naruto leant away from the embrace and stood up. He kept the blanket wrapped around him, not wanting to let any of the new found warmth escape. "I'm going to sleep in the spare room tonight"

"Don't be this way Naruto" His fist's clenched at Nagato's accusing tone. He hated how the man always tried to make him feel like he was in the wrong. "If you didn't ramble on to the Uchiha brother's you would never had been in that position"

"Are you kidding me? I told you I didn't want to go to that stupid party in the first place Nagato! If you hadn't of dragged me to that money pit of an event I would be in bed by now!" Naruto's blue eyes were ablaze. He was already irritable from being tired, he didn't need his husband poking holes in him.

"I'm running for mayor Naruto, it's your duty as my husband to come to event's to show support" Nagato spat back. The two men stared at each other. Naruto in defiance and Nagato in disappointment.

"When did you become this way Nagato. What happened to the man I married?" he watched carefully as Nagato mulled over his answer. The blonde was hoping deep down in his heart that a sign of the man he loved was still in the shell that only looked like him.

"I've had enough of this Naruto. You need to stop believing in fairy-tale endings and start living in the real world. Nobody cares for those with no future and the sooner you see that the sooner you can use your time wisely" Naruto stood rooted in his spot. His mouth hung open and eyes bulging. Never in his life had he felt so stunned. There had been a time once when Nagato had share his so called fairy tales.

"I can't believe you! I'm trying to make a difference! To give kids a chance to have the future they deserve and you're calling it a fairy tale!" his whole body began to shake in anger. "We were those kids once! Or have you just conveniently forgotten that?"

"How could I forget Naruto? Until Jiraiya found me my life was a living hell" the sound of his god fathers name made Naruto's heart clench. They had only recently lost the man and Naruto was still grieving for him deeply.

"If Jiraiya could see you now he would be ashamed" Naruto spat out, his blonde bang's bouncing off his head. A loud slap sounded out and Naruto raised his hand to his cheek. The area stung, the cold making the hit feel worse.

"Never say that again" Nagato seethed out, his eye's wild and angry. Naruto was too shocked to say anything. His eye's forming tears freely as he stared blankly at his husband. Nagato's expression soften when he realised what he had done and pulled Naruto into a hug. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, I just…I'm sorry" Naruto stiffened in the embrace, the feel of Nagato's hand on the back of his head bought no comfort to him. "It'll never happen again love, it was an accident"

"I-I should go to bed" Naruto whispered, pulling away carefully. He watched Nagato closely, searching for any sign of the man's previous anger. Nagato had never laid a hand on him before. Sure they had fought and sometimes things became heated but it had never resulted in anything physical. For Naruto the action supported his previous thinking. The man standing in front of him was not the Nagato he had grown to love. Nagato had changed into someone completely unrecognisable.

"Naruto…" he spun on his heal and quickly sprinted away from the stranger. His feet moving as quickly as they could until he reached the guest bathroom. Naruto looked at his reflection in the mirror. His blonde hair hung limply on his head and his cerulean blue eyes were glassy with unshed tears. What stood out though was the rapidly forming bruise on his right cheek. Naruto reached a hand up to touch it with his fingers but flinched when they skimmed it. It was definably one that wasn't going to disappear overnight.

Naruto made his way out of the bathroom and flopped down onto the guest bedrooms bed. His hands above his head and eyes trained on the ceiling. He had to admit what he had said to Nagato was wrong on many levels. He should never have mentioned Jiraiya, let alone say the man would have been ashamed of his adopted son. It was a wound Naruto knew Nagato would hold deeply. When Nagato was eight Jiraiya had found him wandering the streets, covered in days old blood and his small body to overcome with shock to talk. Jiraiya had taken the boy in after finding out he had become an orphan after his parent's had been murdered in a robbery gone horribly wrong.

Jiraiya hadn't been the best guardian to Nagato though, he had constantly left the boy by himself while he went off to do research for his collection of novels. This lead Nagato spending a lot of his time getting into trouble and often finding himself in youth shelters like the one Naruto volunteered in. Eventually Nagato made a few friends, Konan and Yahiko and they led him down a more productive path. Naruto had met Nagato through Jiraiya when he was eighteen and fresh out of school, he had come to visit his god father and after realising Nagato had a similar history to him the two quickly bonded.

Naruto climbed under the covers slowly, closing his eyes and trying to welcome the calm embrace of sleep. He found it a struggle though as guilt niggled in his chest. He had never meant to hurt Nagato and he knew that his husband was only trying to fulfil his vision in the only way he could. He had explained to Naruto that if they were to change anything, their best chance was for Nagato to place himself at the root of the problem. It seemed the closer Nagato got to his goal the more the man changed though; Naruto could see it every day. The man was losing the battle in himself, the corruption of politics slowly twisting the once pure vision of the future. Naruto rolled over to his side, he felt defeated as he realised his dreams were falling apart in front of his eyes.

…

Naruto woke late the next morning and he was thankful it was the weekend. Any other day and he would have slept half the working day a way which would have resulted in missed appointments. He stretched his arms above his head and let out a yaw. His stiff joints groaned and his legs had a dull ache in them that remained from his walk the previous night. Naruto let out a sigh and looked towards the door. He didn't feel like getting up. The bed he was in was safe and he could cocoon himself up and away from his problems. Naruto winced as he remembered the previous night's event's and threw the blankets over his head.

Naruto was certain the bruise would be a deep shade by now and he would have to come up with some excuse for his friends. Of course they would be suspicious but since it was the first time Nagato had laid a hand on him he doubted they would question him. Naruto berated himself silently. He felt pathetic and weak. Day after day he would offer people in similar situations help, suggest to them that the fault didn't lie with them and that there was no excuse for physical violence. Here Naruto was, a bruise on his cheek and a husband showing signs of progressing domestic abuse and all he could do was make excuses.

Guilt washed over him again. Naruto was torn. On one hand he had his training telling him he should have walked out the door and never come back. On the other was the burden of being responsible for what transpired. For the first time in his life he was in the other position. He wasn't the social worker. Naruto was the vulnerable, broken down patient that sat on the other side of the desk. The reality was too hard for him to face and he forced himself up. He couldn't lie in bed any longer and spiral deeper into his depressive thoughts.

He tiptoed over to the door and rested his hand on the doorknob. He took a deep breath and poked his head out, looking in each direction down the hallway. He didn't know what he would do if he saw his husband and he didn't particularly feel like running into him. Naruto waited a few seconds before making his way down to their room and leant against the door, listening for signs of life behind it. He heard no rustling so he entered quietly, his body flooding with relief at it being empty. Naruto had a quick shower then proceeded to get dressed in a plain orange polo and comfortable dark slacks. He would have preferred a comfortable tracksuit but Nagato had thrown out most of his underclass looking clothes.

Naruto avoided the kitchen all together, deciding to get food on the run. He picked up his key's and his wallet off the table in front of the door way and snuck out quickly. The first thing that Naruto noticed was that Nagato's car was gone and he felt like hitting his head against the wall in frustration. He had wound himself up over nothing, snuck around like a child afraid of being caught and all for nothing. Naruto sighed and entered his car, put his keys in the ignition and backed out of the driveway. It wasn't until he began to drive that he realised he had no clue where he was heading to.

Naruto went through the possibilities in his head and eventually ended up on the rougher side of town, outside a familiar and comforting building he spent the majority of his free time in. Konoha youth shelter. Naruto parked in his usual spot and made his way inside. He greeted the receptionist, Shizune with a forced smile and made his way to the staffing areas.

"I thought you weren't coming in today" a familiar voice rang out. Naruto beamed at his closet friend. The man in front of him was slightly shorter than him, standing at 5'6. He had short red hair, almost the same colour as Nagato's and piercing sea foam eyes. A tattoo lay above his left eye and it was creased in a questioning manor due to his eyebrow being raised.

"I changed my mind, I thought you weren't either Gaara" Naruto retorted back, copying the man's stance. Gaara was one of Naruto's closet friends. They had met on the streets and had vowed they would help each other pursue their goals. Naruto and Gaara drove each other to finish school and go to college where Naruto majored in social work and Gaara in law. The two now worked together fighting for those who were too vulnerable to stand up for themselves. Naruto was thankful he had Gaara on his side. He was a ruthless lawyer and had put many child abusers behind bars, cases that Naruto had referred to him and each one free of charge.

"Last minute paper work. One of the parent's filled for custody so I'm going for complete emancipation" Naruto's brow's creased. It was rare when the parent's fought for children that ended up at the shelter. "It's concerning, I'm assuming the parent is just missing the welfare pay check"

"It's rare but there's always one" Naruto frowned and sat down on the couch. Gaara sat next to him, his eyes travelling to the mark on the side of Naruto's cheek. "It's fine"

"That looks awfully like a hand mark Naruto" It was a statement, not a question. Naruto should have known he would never get anything past Gaara. The man was unusually perceptive, he never missed even the smallest of details.

"It was my fault…" Naruto muttered. He flinched at the words. He had heard those four words so many times in his career, he had never expected them to come from his mouth though.

"That's what they all say Naruto" their eyes met and Naruto could see the anger in Gaara's eyes. It was a stark contrast from his sad blue ones. "This is the first time?"

"Yeah. I told him Jiraiya would be ashamed of him, it's to be expected" Gaara's eye's flared up again and Naruto saw his hand's clench. Naruto hated how he couldn't stop himself. Excuse after excuse was flowing out of his mouth before he could even think about it.

"If he lays a hand on you again Naruto I'll have a restraining order in place so fast he won't even know what hit him" Gaara's response was mild and Naruto knew he was holding back. The two knew from experience lecturing never made any progress. It was up to the person to make the choice to leave, with support of course.

"I feel stupid for saying this but it would have been a onetime thing" Gaara stood up abruptly. Naruto's words worried him and he knew it.

"Divorce him Naruto" Gaara wasn't requesting it, he was trying to get Naruto to see sense. "We both know your marriage has been getting progressively worse. Nagato has all the signs and you know it. He's been manipulating you, controlling you and now his behaviour has escalated to physical violence"

"Gaara…" the red haired man held up his hand causing Naruto to stop and let his words sink in.

"There is only one way your marriage is heading Naruto. I will have the divorce papers written up by Monday and on your desk for you to revise" Gaara walked out of the room, leaving Naruto alone with his thoughts.

Gaara was right. Naruto knew the second Nagato had hit him that he would have to leave the man. The fact that he was making excuses for Nagato just sealed the reality of it all. If Naruto didn't leave the marriage now there would be a high chance things would escalate further and he had been through too much already to let Nagato turn him into a victim. The decision weighed heavily down on him but he knew it was the right thing to do. Nagato was a stranger to him now and the longer he dragged things out the more at risk he was.

Naruto began to think of the past few years. He sifted through memory after memory and each memory solidified what Gaara had said. Nagato was constantly manipulating him. He had tried to do it to him last night by making Naruto believe he was at fault. He was also very controlling. Naruto's current outfit proved that. Nagato controlled every aspect of his life except the precious area's that Naruto refused to give up like his volunteer work but even that had been suffering lately. The signs were also there for the escalating aggression. God knows how many holes in the wall Naruto had patched up lately from Nagato's outbursts of anger.

Naruto hung his head forward and his shoulders heaved from his sudden onset of sobbing. How could he have been so blind until now? He dealt with this sort of thing every day and yet he couldn't see that he himself was one of the very people he fought to protect. It had been a long time since Naruto had felt so vulnerable and exposed. Not since he was a child had he felt this broken down and betrayed. It was like his very world was shattering around him and he couldn't even think of how to pick up the pieces again. Through the broken shards that was now his life there was a slither of hope and strength. He had made his decision and there was no going back now. His marriage was over and he was going to make sure it stayed that way. Naruto Uzumaki was no longer going to allow himself to be a victim.


	3. Paperwork

A/N. Chiko92. No problem i can see why you would have had an issue with it before i explained! haha yeah it is a bit of a pain when writing but it does make me write more carefully so i end up adding in extra detail :) ive tried my best to make sure the two names arent side by side alot because it can seem a bit jumbled!

Loving the response to this! i hope this chapter holds up to everyones expectations! Happy reading!

...

Naruto looked up at the ceiling in his office chair, his arm's falling to the side of it in defeat. It had been a rough weekend and the last place he wanted to be was at work. He knew he should have called in sick and cancel his appointments but he felt if he did he was letting his patients down. Naruto had spent the remainder of the weekend at Sakura's, only venturing home to briefly grab a few changes of clothes and toiletries. Naruto had been surprised at how jittery he had been when he had entered the home he and Nagato owned together. Every little sound made his heart feel like it was jumping out of his chest and caused his palms to sweat. It caused Naruto to question himself even more and wonder how things had gotten so bad that he feared walking through the door of a place he once felt so safe.

Sakura had spent the weekend consoling him. She had become a source of strength for him and a shoulder to cry on. His pink haired friend had spent hours listening to Naruto express his guilt, confusion and anger; Watching him go back and forth contemplating his decision. Naruto was thankful he had such an empathetic friend. Not once did Sakura send him a sympathetic glance. Instead she tried to put herself in his shoes causing an understanding in her of Naruto's fluctuating emotions. It had been the first time Naruto had told someone everything and he felt physically and mentally drained from it all and yet he felt a slight freedom. He had shared his burden, let someone else in and felt the warmth of someone genuinely caring for him. Naruto would be forever grateful to Sakura for what she had done for him.

The bruise on Naruto's check had become prominent, although the dark purple was not as vibrant as it had been. Sakura had spent the morning helping Naruto cover it with makeup. He felt a bit ridiculous and self-conscious wearing the liquid product Sakura had called foundation. Naruto hopped it wasn't obvious but Sakura had done a decent job of hiding the mark. As much as he hated hiding behind the mask like product made for women he knew he didn't have a choice. He needed to instil confidence in his patients of his working abilities and he doubted they would trust someone with evident abuse. How could they trust him to keep them safe if they believed he couldn't even protect himself?

Naruto swung himself to an upright position and eyed the papers on his desk. He had yet to look at them or even touch them. It was like the stack of papers were some kind of pathogen and he felt if he touched them that would be it; it would be final. Naruto knew it was for the best though and he knew exactly what was holding him back from reading the legal papers. Fear. Naruto hated to admit it but the more his relationship came to light the more fear he let take over him. How would Nagato react? Would he try find Naruto? Would he be angry? Naruto let out a sigh and grasped at his face in a downward motion, showing his frustration. He hated how he let fear take over him and heighten his thoughts to the worst possible situations. For all he knew Nagato could agree that divorce was the best option. It had to be obvious to the other man that their marriage had reached breaking point and that there was nothing to fix, no pieces to pick up a glue back together. Hell, if they tried Naruto doubt the pieces would even fit together anymore. It would be like a child trying to force a square block into a circle opening in a toy.

Naruto's phone rang and he looked down at the number. Gaara's name popped up and he considered ignoring it. He knew the older man was calling for an answer, one that Naruto didn't have yet. After a few ring's he swiped the screen and raised it to his ear. "Hey Gaara"

"_You haven't read it yet have you?"_ always straight to the point. Naruto didn't expect anything less from the red head.

"No…I just can't seem to pick it up" he heard Gaara sigh on the other end of the phone. Naruto laid his hand over the divorce papers. It was a small action but it was a start.

"_It's pretty straight forward. I just need you to look over the assets. I've put down that you want half of everything…"_ Naruto's gut churned. He didn't want half. He only wanted what he put into the financial aspects and the few thing's he held dear to his heart.

"I only want my inheritance. It's tied up in the house though…everything else is just personal items he has no claim over like photographs" It annoyed Naruto how little he had. He had invested half his money into building their house and the other half he put into improving the shelter. Naruto wondered if Nagato would sell the house to return Naruto's money. If Naruto was honest with himself he had no clue about their financial position and if the man was capable of giving Naruto his money without selling the mansion. Nagato had handle all of the money, the only involvement Naruto had in it was his weekly allowance Nagato issued to him.

"_Are you sure that's all you want? I'm sure if you threatened to go public he would gladly give up half instead of ruining his image"_ Naruto knew Gaara was only trying to do what was in his best interest but he couldn't help but feel he was being more cut throat than usual. Almost as if he would get some enjoyment dragging Nagato through the mud.

"I'm sure. I only want what's important and that's my parent's legacy. Everything else he can have. He worked for it so he deserves it. I don't have the heart to destroy everything he's built for himself" Gaara wanted to argue with him. He could tell through the silence that his long-time friend was restraining himself from debating the issue.

"_Alight. Ill type up the alterations. I'll bring the revision over to Sakura's tonight for you to sign and I'll send them to Orochimaru tomorrow morning" _The name of Nagato's lawyer made the blonde man's skin crawl in disgust. The snake like man was a ladder climber and he had leached himself onto Nagato a few years back. Naruto knew from the start it was a bad idea getting involved with the ambitious man. Nagato had let the man have far too much say in his life in his opinion; one of the many corrupt in Nagato's inner circle.

"Do we have to do this so fast? I'm still trying to get my head around everything" there was a knock on his door and Naruto furrowed his brows. He didn't have another appointment for a few hours. His eyes widened when a familiar but new face walked through the door.

"_Naruto, you know there is no reason to drag this out. The sooner you file the sooner you can move on with your life" _Naruto's eyes locked onto onyx curious ones. Sasuke Uchiha stood before him, waiting patiently for him to end his phone call.

"Your right, I'll see you tonight" there was a click as the call was disconnected and Naruto put it down on his desk. He turned to the attractive man who had made himself comfortable in the chair across from him. "Mr Uchiha…"

"Please, call me Sasuke" the man smirked. Naruto raised his eyebrow at him while he took in his appearance. Sasuke was dressed more casually then when he had first met him. His body was clad in a pair of tight fitting jeans and a black, silk button up shirt. On his right wrist was what Naruto assumed to be a rather expensive watch and his raven hair was parted slightly to the side. Naruto finally appreciated how attractive the arrogant man really was and he felt his stomach flutter.

"What brings you to my office…Sasuke?"

…

Sasuke's smirk got wider at the sound of his name rolling off the tanned blonde's lips. It had taken a while to track down where the man had worked but sitting in front of him now made him realise how worth the effort was. Sasuke took note of how Naruto suited the kind of environment they were in. His office reflecting his passion to protect and help those who walked through his door. His dark eye's scanned the walls, flicking over numerous diplomas and he realised how over qualified for the job Naruto was, which meant Naruto had chosen the low income job over other better off options.

"You intrigued me…well your idea's did" Sasuke leant forward and he noticed a stack of paper in the middle of the desk that looked untouched. Blue eyes followed his gaze and Naruto quickly covered them up, fear flashing under the swirling eyes.

"Don't waste my time Uchiha. It was pretty obvious you and your brother were making fun of me and my idea's" Naruto folded his arms over his chest and Sasuke frowned. He didn't realise how much of a bad impression he had made until now. If he didn't do some damage control he would lose his opportunity to spend more time with the man without looking suspicious.

"You read me and my brother all wrong. Sharingan Corporation is always on the lookout for worthy causes and what you said that night struck a chord in us. We would like to invite you to our main office to discuss them and any other ways we can contribute" the room filled with silence as Naruto thought over his offer and Sasuke held back a smile. He wasn't lying. Itachi had also expressed an interest in Naruto's ideas and was currently looking into ways to push financial aid into certain areas that Naruto brought up.

"Does Nagato know about this?" Sasuke was expecting that question. But there was an emotion he couldn't place and it made Sasuke hesitant. He narrowed his eyes, taking in the social workers appearance and looking past the obvious. Naruto looked like he had lost a little bit of weight and his healthy glow seemed to have dulled. His hair was unusually messy as if little maintenance was done to it over the weekend. But what struck Sasuke the most was that Naruto had a layer of makeup on. He leant forward, causing Naruto's eyes to widen at the sudden movement. The closer he got to Naruto the more visible the makeup became and eventually he saw a faint darkening of the skin on one of his cheeks. "Mr Uchiha?"

"Sorry…" Sasuke mumbled and sat back down; His curiosity peaking. Something had definably happened and Sasuke was going to get to the bottom of it. "Nagato has not been consulted about this and I see no need to involve him. This is a separate business to his financial campaign backing"

"Oh…then sure. I'd be happy to" Sasuke watched as the warm glow that had first caught his attention return to the blonde and smiled back. "I'd like to show you something first…Would you meet me here around five?" Naruto scribbled an address down on a piece of paper then handed it to him. Sasuke let his hand slightly graze the other mans and a slight blush crept up on the whiskered cheeks. "I know it's not exactly an area of town you are use to but…if I show you then maybe you could understand my idea's more"

"Of course Naruto…may I call you Naruto?" Sasuke stood up and held out his hand. Naruto looked down at it warily before taking it. Sasuke deliberated what to do, he fought the urge to turn the slightly rough hand over and kiss the back of it. He did not want to push things and cause a distance between them before he even got the chance to get closer to the man.

"I'll walk you out" Naruto walked around the desk and held out the door for him. Naruto seemed to be more relaxed around him. The defensive attitude he encountered when first entering gone. The two men were half way down the hallway when Sasuke stopped and put his hands into his pockets. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I think I left my keys in your office though. I'll be back in a minute" Sasuke spun around on his heel before Naruto could offer to come with him. For some reason he had a nagging urge to look at the papers Naruto had hidden from him. The bruise on the passionate man's cheek made his stomach churn and he felt that the covered up documents had something to do with it. Sasuke quickly closed the door behind him and walked over to the desk. His delicate hands moved the item covering the paper; shifting it to the side slightly. He wanted to be careful about this. If Naruto found out he was snooping he was sure the man would refuse to trust him.

The papers look undisturbed as if they hadn't been touched at all since being placed on the desk. Sasuke made sure to not touch them and leant over to examine the first page. His eyes widened as he read the first few lines. Divorce papers. Not just any divorce papers…Naruto's divorce papers. Sasuke felt smug at the new revelation. He knew going after Naruto was going to be a challenge due to him being married but if the man was divorcing Nagato then it gave him an advantage. Although Nagato had made it clear he would not let go of the blonde easily it was exciting to see it was the opposite for Naruto.

Sasuke put everything back to the way it was. Making sure that not even a speck of dust was out of place. The Uchiha hid his over confident smile behind his business mask, he didn't want to give away what he knew. When he returned to Naruto's side though he was reminded of the mark on the man's stunning face. Was that the reason Naruto wanted divorce? Had Nagato hit his husband? The very thought made his hands clench. Who in their right mind would raise a hand to someone so obviously caring and sweet? Yes he could see that the blonde could be challenging at time due to his passionate hard headedness but to mark someone so pure and good in such a way was just unimaginable to Sasuke. It threw Sasuke how attached he had become to the bubbly blonde so quickly. He had barley spent ten minutes in a room together then man and he already had an overwhelming urge to protect and support him.


	4. Chapter 4

Sasuke told his driver to pull into the car park of the address Naruto had given him. He had opted not to drive himself as the area wasn't exactly safe and all of the cars he owned had a price tag only the wealthy could afford. The idea of one of them being stolen or damaged made him cringe; his cars were his babies. He eyed the building as he got out of the car and was surprised to see how far spread it was. Sasuke had assumed it was the shelter Naruto volunteered at so he was expecting a small, run down space. What was in front him though look large with numerous wings, newly renovated and up kept. Sasuke wondered how such a feat of keeping the place secure and maintained was in such an area.

Sasuke waved his driver off and made his way towards the door. He was quickly greeted by an excited Naruto who was rocking on the balls of his feet. Naruto was obviously proud of the establishment and it made Sasuke want to explore the facility to see why the blonde was so invested in the place. Naruto held the door out for him and Sasuke stopped in his tracks. To the left side of the entrance was a reception with a pleasant looking woman sitting behind it. Across the room was what looked like a modern waiting room and Sasuke felt as if he was entering a doctor's room. What struck Sasuke though was how secure the building was. Security cameras were placed in each corner so blind spots were eliminated and before a plain looking door stood a security check point with a casual looking guard standing beside it.

"I know, it can be a bit intimidating but we have to take precautions" Naruto shrugged. Sasuke watched as Naruto greeted the receptionist and a buzz was heard. He assumed that was signifying the door into the shelter had been unlocked. "Don't worry, you won't need to go through the procedures. They are there for visitors. A lot of the children here have suffered abuse in some form so we need to ensure visitors mean no harm to them. Also we have very strict rules about weapons and drugs on the premises"

"How often do you catch people with those…items" Sasuke asked. He felt intimidated as he walked past the guard who Naruto introduced as Asuma. The man gave him a friendly smile as he passed but he kept a close eye on him.

"Not often. The fact is a lot of the kids choose to be here. They know the rules and abide by them. We do have an area though for those dealing with addiction, sort of like a rehab centre but smaller. Also a lot of parents just give up their children to our care. They feel that this is a better place for them" Sasuke felt his gut drop. He knew what it was like to be alone. Yes he had his brother but they had lost their parent's in an assassination and the pain from that trauma affected them both deeply. Sasuke hadn't even seen past the hallway and he already could see why Naruto was so passionate about his cause and why he spent so much time here. "These kids…their good kids who have just been dealt a shit hand and here we try give them a better future. It's hard though. Were at capacity and have been turning down people. I've tried to convince Tsunade to take them in but with all the building codes and regulations it would be a health risk"

"Why don't you expand?" Sasuke followed Naruto through a door and he felt uncomfortable as all eyes turned to them. He became aware of the messy area. About 10 young girls were in various areas of what looked like a communal lounge. A rather large kitchen was off to the left and a hallway lead further down to what Sasuke assumed was bedrooms. The room was bright though, filled with the noise of laughing babies.

"We don't have the money. The only reason this place is so big now is because I invested half my inheritance into it" Naruto made his way over to one of the girls. A bright smile on his face as he cooed over a rather young baby. Sasuke observed each girl, putting their ages eighteen and under. "This wing was my idea"

"There all so young" Naruto gave him a weak smile and motioned for him to follow him. He led him to an empty room that had a small bed and a cot with various items for a baby ranging from toys, clothes and nappies.

"Some parent's turn their backs on them. The girls here now were kicked out of home after telling their families they were pregnant and they had nowhere to go and no money to provide. We created this wing to help them. They can stay until their child is two and then they move into another area. Before that happens though we try to get them into apprenticeship programmes, jobs or even study so that they can find somewhere to rent and support themselves. On top of that we offer them free childcare so they can focus on setting themselves up for the future without that expense" Sasuke was in awe. He had never heard of such a plan before. The free childcare was expensive enough let alone the funds to provide start up items. "The only regret I have is we can only take in twelve girls at a time"

"This is incredible! How do you fund all this!" Naruto let out a laugh. It pulled Sasuke out of his stupor and he focused on the enchanting man. Naruto was really one of a kind.

"I told you. I invested half my inheritance. This area was completely funded by me because the rest of the areas have slight government subsidies" Naruto took his hand and pulled him out of the room. Sasuke felt the warmth of the other man's grip spread up his arm and he felt the need to embrace Naruto. He didn't though, he was an Uchiha after all and to lose his composure would be undignified. "Come on, I have plenty more to show you"

…..

Naruto got enjoyment out of seeing Sasuke speechless time after time. Each area he took him to left the composed man stumped and asking questions. Sasuke was actively participating in every room as well. Even joining in to play a game of stuck in the mud in the hall with the younger kids. That moment had made Naruto's heart flutter. The more time he spent with Sasuke the more he saw his first opinion of him was wrong. Yes he was an arrogant man but he also had a softer side to him. Naruto found his company enjoyable and wondered if he could spend more time with him in the future. Naruto shook his head quickly, he hadn't even handed Nagato the divorce papers yet and he was thinking about spending time with a rather attractive man.

"So where are we going now?" Naruto gave Sasuke a cheshire cat grin. Naruto had shown him every area there was. Each area was spilt into age group, sex and special conditions a child may have with the exception of communal areas. In reality the shelter was more like a boarding school. Naruto had been saving Tsunade for last. Knowing that the woman could be extremely intimidating and he wanted to make sure he had gotten Sasuke's attention enough before introducing him.

"To see Tsunade. She run's this shelter" He held back a chuckle. Naruto assumed Sasuke would think he was meeting a pleasant, grandmother like figure which was far from the truth. Tsunade was a no nonsense woman who liked her drink and gambling. Although she was terrible at the latter. Naruto knocked on her office door and entered when he heard a gruff acknowledgement. "Hey granny, I brought a visitor!"

"How many times do I have to tell you brat! Don't call me that!" He ducked as a heavy paper weight flew past his head and hit the wall behind him. Naruto knew from experience how much the weight hurt, it had connected on a few occasions. "Who are you?"

"Sasuke Uchiha…" Naruto could hear the uncertainty in the raven haired male's voice. Sasuke was scared and he should be.

"Well, you wanted to know what you could do to help right?" Naruto put his hands behind his back and began to rock on his heels. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him suspiciously and Naruto winked at him. "We need a long term benefactor…"

"Brat! What do you think you're doing! You can't just bring someone into my office and try hustle him into helping!" Tsunade stood up and slammed her hands down on the desk in front of her.

"He said he wanted to help!" Naruto glared back. Tsunade tried to stare him down and eventually she swayed and fell back into her chair defeated.

"You…Uchiha" Sasuke stepped forward, his face turning hard and eyes determined. "You interested?"

"I'll have to talk it over with my brother but from what Naruto has showed me this is exactly the kind of establishment we would be interested in supporting. Although we would have terms" Naruto ran a hand through his hair. He suddenly became very awkward. Of course the man would want something in return.

"We have nothing to give Uchiha" Tsunade spat out, her glare piercing.

"You misunderstand. Sharingan Corporation is into expansion. When we see something as unique as this we see an opportunity for growth. For example Naruto pointed out a number of areas that needed more space. We would look into expanding these areas. Also we would like to use the plan you have and take it into other areas of the city. All charity of course, we would never seek to make money from a cause like this" Naruto was frozen. His eyes as wide as an owls and mouth dropped open. Sasuke was talking about taking Naruto's dream and spreading it. He had spent years with Tsunade building the shelter up into a strong foundation for future shelters to take on their example.

"Don't play games with me Uchiha. What do you get out of this, no one is that generous" Naruto eyed Tsunade carefully. If she had her back up about it then maybe he should to. After all it did sound too good to be true.

"My brother and I have been searching a long time for a charity such as this to support. We are very particular and if it doesn't have a high chance of success then we see no point in entertaining the idea. But this place...this place is revolutionary" Naruto sighed. There it was. Sasuke wanted to take the credit for all the hard work Tsunade's team had put in. "We would only be in the background though"

"Here" Tsunade chucked a folder at Sasuke and Naruto watch him catch it with ease. "Those are all our documents, our framework for the shelter, programmes and future plans. Also included is the cost to run this place which I'm sure your financial team will want to look over"

"Thank you. I will have my brother look over it tonight and we will get back to you once we have made our decision" Sasuke gave the short yet intimidating woman a small bow to show his respect then turned to Naruto. "I have to be going now, will you show me the way out?"

"Oh…yeah, follow me" Naruto bid Tsunade farewell then made his way to the front door. He went to apologise to Sasuke about putting him on the spot like that but the words wouldn't form.

"That was a bit underhanded of you, Dobe" Sasuke chided. Naruto shrugged his shoulders. He felt an unwelcomed guilt wash over him. He really didn't mean to bulldoze Sasuke, he only wanted him to think about the idea of becoming a benefactor. "I'm impressed"

"What?" Naruto cocked his head to the side and took in Sasuke's expression. Something glistened in the onyx pools. Admiration maybe? "You're not mad?"

"Why would I be? Everything I said in there was the truth. This facility is exactly the kind of charity Itachi and I have been looking for" Naruto bit his lip as his guilt subsided. "And if I admit it…it was kind of sexy seeing you be so devilish"

"What the hell Teme!" Naruto stumbled over his feet. A blush creeping up his cheeks as he spluttered over his words. Sasuke smirked at him wolfishly then pulled out his cell phone.

"We need to make an appointment. Itachi will need to discuss this with you before we make a decision. Say dinner? Friday night?" Naruto became aware of how close Sasuke was standing to him. His warm breath grazed the side of his face and the paler man's nose was almost touching his. Naruto found himself nodding slowly, his breath quickening as his eyes flicked down to Sasuke's lips. He didn't dare move that inch to connect their lips together, even if his mind was screaming at him to do it. It wasn't right. Even after everything Nagato had put him through he couldn't entertain the idea of being with another man until the red haired man knew Naruto had left him. In Naruto's mind until he handed over the divorce papers it would be cheating.

"That should be alright…" Naruto finally managed to force out. Sasuke took a step back and handed Naruto his cell phone.

"Put your number in so I can call you with the details" Naruto moved his fingers, having to delete a few number here and there as his hands were shaking from the intensity he felt before. He had a feeling Sasuke knew how he affected Naruto in that moment; the smugness was rolling off him in waves. "See you around Naruto" Sasuke was gone in an instant. Leaving Naruto to compose his thoughts. He didn't know how but in a matter of minutes the man had left him flustered and he hadn't even touched him. On the other hand though he may have secured the shelters future. A wide smile crept up onto his face. Finally he was making a difference.


	5. Divorce

Naruto clutched the newly revised divorce papers to his chest. His heart hammered against them and sweat beaded on his forehead. He had rejected Gaara's offer to come with him but now he was regretting that decision. His breathing became laboured as he thought about what was lying behind that door. How would Nagato react? The anxious blonde squeezed his eyes shut and slowly entered over the threshold, the papers shaking in his fearful grip. Naruto started to wonder if he could really do this, could he hand over the documents and then just walk out on everything he had built with Nagato. Would his husband even let him turn his back on what little was left of their marriage.

The door clicked quietly closed behind him, his eyes scanning every area he could see. Gaara had made it clear to him that he was to go upstairs first, grab his possessions and then confront Nagato. He had questioned it of course, thinking that Nagato would know immediately what was happening. The floor boards creaked under his weight as his ears picked up faint talking from Nagato's office further down on the first level. His fear subsided slightly. If Nagato had company then there was a chance he could get in and out before an argument ensued.

When Naruto made his way into what use to be their shared bedroom he grabbed a suitcase out from under the bed. He then proceeded to grab the things he held close to his heart; photographs of his parents and friends, gifts from Jiraiya and the necklace Tsunade had given him. It wasn't much but Naruto was used to having so little, it was only after moving in with Nagato did he accumulate more possessions and they were things like furniture which he was happy to leave. The next things he grabbed were his clothes and his laptop. Naruto quickly closed the suitcase and made his way down the stairs again, placing it next to the door before taking in a deep breath.

His feet almost felt as if they were lead. Each step gaining weight and slowing him down. Naruto persevered though. His fear would not control him; Nagato would not control him. After what felt like an eternity a breathless Naruto knocked on the office door. He cringed when he heard Nagato's smooth voice ring out and Naruto gave himself a small, reassuring pep talk in his head before entering. Nagato stared up at him surprised, it was obvious the man was not expecting Naruto to be home.

"Naruto…I'm just in a meeting" two familiar people greeted him. The Uchiha brothers sat opposite Nagato quiet comfortably and Naruto avoided the youngest one's gaze. There was something in Sasuke's eyes that unsettled him, a knowing look and obnoxious smirk gracing his features. The oldest Itachi, merely looked amused; a faint interest in the newcomer.

"Oh…I just wanted to give you something…" his voice wavered and a blush crept up his cheeks. Nagato looked at him impatiently, it caused Naruto's resolve to harden. He did not come all the way back to this house for nothing. If Naruto didn't give him the papers now he would lose his nerve and have Gaara send them. That wasn't the way Naruto wanted to do things, he wanted Nagato know that he was serious; that it was really over.

"Can't it wait Naruto?" the embarrassed man grimaced out. The whiskered scared Naruto grew angry. He hated how Nagato always treated him as a nuisance and that the two men between them were more important than their marriage. It became very clear to Naruto in that instance how little Nagato valued him.

"Here. Sign them and get them back to Gaara" The papers left Naruto's now sturdy hands quickly and landed on the mahogany desk with a resounding bang. Nagato made no move for them and eyed them as if they were contaminating his desk.

"I don't have time for your games right now Naruto…" Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Sasuke move slightly. The pale man's hands were curled into fists and Naruto could have sworn he saw the man's face show a flash of anger. It confused Naruto. Why would Sasuke care how Nagato treated him? Yes the disrespect his husband was showing him was distasteful but he never thought Sasuke would bat an eyelash if it didn't concern him; even after spending a few hours with him at the centre yesterday.

"It's quite alright. Sasuke and I can come back at a more convenient time" Itachi stated calmly, making a move to stand up. Nagato raised his hand and shook his head. His eyes piercing daggers into Naruto's.

"No. Naruto can wait, this is more important" Something in Naruto snapped. He felt his face well up with radiating heat and he snarl his lips. He had come here to do the decent thing and end their marriage in person and Nagato treated him as if he was dirt; that he was just a small insignificant bug that he had just stepped on.

"Don't fucking bother Nagato, I'm leaving and I'm not coming back. Just sign the fucking divorce papers and give them to Gaara. I never want to see or hear from you again" Naruto stormed out of the room, the hair on his forehead blowing backwards from his quick and forceful pace. He couldn't believe he had even doubted his decision to leave Nagato. That he felt guilty and responsible for their marriage falling apart. But now he saw it for what it really was. Nagato couldn't care less about him or their marriage. Naruto had been so blind and naïve to think that the red head loved him, that there was even a small slither of hope to cling onto.

Naruto didn't stop when he head footsteps behind him. He kept his head high and his pace constant. He refused to give Nagato the satisfaction of even one glance back. Naruto deserved better. He deserved someone who loved him, who cared for him and who would never harm him. For once in his life Naruto was going to put himself first. Nagato be damned, he was taking his life back. He reached his hand down to grab the handle of his suitcase but found himself spun around quickly.

Nagato pushed him up against the door. His eyes feral as he imposed down upon him. Naruto went to push the out of control man away only to have the divorce papers waved in front of his face. Naruto placed one foot behind him to sturdy himself and gave Nagato one last push, causing him to stumble backwards. He picked up his suitcase, holding it against his chest to protect himself.

"Divorce! You have to be fucking kidding me!" Nagato yelled out, throwing the papers on the ground and causing them to scatter. "After everything I have done for you, this is how you repay me!"

"Yes Nagato, divorce. I'm sick of fighting with you and after what happened I can't be with you anymore" he placed a hand on the door handle behind his back slowly. He didn't know how far Nagato would take this and his only hope was that the Uchiha brothers being in the house would keep Nagato at bay.

"This is because you had to walk home! Jesus Naruto! Stop being so childish!" Nagato fisted his hands into his hair; an exasperated sigh leaving his lips.

"You think…you think it's because I walked home?" Naruto replied shocked. He felt as if he had been doused in ice water. Did his husband really not acknowledge punching him? "You hit me Nagato!" tears began to pool in his cerulean blue eyes. "How can you not understand that the second you raised your hand to me that you ended this!"

"Men fight Naruto! It's normal! Stop being such a baby!" Nagato took a step forward and went to grab the suitcase out of his husband's hands. "Stop this nonsense"

"No Nagato. What you did…it's not normal…it's not okay" Naruto whispered out, tears now falling freely down his face. He felt despaired at Nagato's revelation. "It doesn't matter that we are both men. I am your husband and it is never okay to lay a hand on me in that way and the fact that you can't see that proves to me that leaving you is the right thing"

"You can't do this to me! I'm running for Mayor! If you do this you will ruin everything! I won't sign it Naruto! I refuse to!" Nagato grew frantic causing the frightened blonde to become alarmed. "I've given you everything you ever wanted! You owe me your support!"

"I owe you nothing Nagato. I'm leaving now…" Naruto twisted the handle of the door and pulled it. The door forced him to take a few steps forward and Nagato grasped onto his arm. "Let go…"

"I won't let you leave me Naruto, I won't let you destroy my career" Naruto winced under the tightening grip. He needed to distract Nagato somehow and get the man to let him leave. "You will forget all this divorce bullshit and fulfil your duties as my husband"

"Let go of me Nagato or I will scream" The two men stared at each other for a while before Nagato let his grip drop. "If you have any issues with the divorce papers contact Gaara"

Naruto was out of the door in an instant and broke into a sprint towards his car. His legs were shaking with a mixture of fear and adrenaline. When he reached his car he flung himself into it and locked the doors. His emotions overwhelmed him causing his hands to become glued and unmoving on the steering wheel. Salty tears poured down his face, his lips trembled and his nostrils flared. Naruto felt so stupid. He should have listened to Gaara and brought the man with him. If he had Nagato would never been able to get near him.

Naruto quickly pulled out of the driveway and attempted to make his way to Sakura's. Eventually he felt his shoulders hunch over. He pulled over, turning off the car and he placed his head on the top of the steering wheel. What was the point at keeping his emotions at bay? It was like flood gates exploded and a scream tore from his throat. All of the pain, betrayal and regret ripping the scream harshly causing it to sound like a wounded animal. He felt battered emotionally and physically. It was like Nagato had taken him and everything he stood for and crushed it in his hands over the years. How could he go on? Nagato was right, he had nothing. All of his money was tied up in their house, his belongings were so few he could fit them all into a suitcase and he couldn't keep couch surfing at his friends places.

Naruto felt completely and utterly defeated. Never had he imagined that he would end up homeless again with little to his name. Back then he had Jiraiya to partially rely on but now? Who did he have? What did he have? Of course he wouldn't go back to Nagato, what little self-respect he did have he clung to like a life line. If he held on to that one shred of self-decency he could at least try to pick himself up. Naruto jumped when he heard a tap on the passenger's side window and wound it down.

…

Sasuke and Itachi had remained in Nagato's office, listening to the couple scream at each other. It took everything Sasuke had to stay in his seat and listen to the escalating situation. He felt Itachi's eyes on him, watching him carefully. It made him feel slightly calmer knowing that his brother was next to him, that if anything serious happened there was two of them to defuse the situation.

"You knew?" Itachi stated. His voice held a hint of amusement at how involved Sasuke already seemed to be. Usually it would irritate him when his brother poked his nose into his personal life but this time it was different. They were after all backing Nagato and Sasuke trying to gain Naruto's affections was an unstable factor to the company. Itachi had a right to know that Sasuke was willing to shake things up and that there were extra risks attached.

"I knew, I saw the papers yesterday" Sasuke's eyes met his brothers identical ones and Itachi frowned at him. "Alright, so maybe I took a peak when Naruto wasn't looking"

"Sasuke…things seem…unusually volatile between them, be careful" That was Itachi. Prying and yet reserved. He always knew Sasuke's business yet his attempts to steer Sasuke down the right path was cryptic warnings and guiding words. Sasuke didn't know how he managed to do it as even when he thought he was doing the opposite of what his brother wanted the end result always played out how Itachi envisioned.

"I can handle Nagato" Sasuke scoffed. He was Sasuke Uchiha, co-owner of a billion dollar business. Nagato was nothing but a ladder climbing figure head. Sasuke had the real power and if he wanted to he could destroy Nagato.

"I meant Naruto, Otouto. I know men like Naruto and I know you" Itachi's tone was accusing and wary. It was obvious his concern was for Naruto not him. "This man…he isn't a plaything. If you pursue him make sure it's for the right reasons"

"I'm not an idiot, Oniisan. Naruto is…different" his brother raised an eyebrow at him, a small smile playing on his lips as if he knew something Sasuke didn't.

"I'm sorry gentlemen but I'll have to cut this meeting short" Nagato bowled into the room. His hair a mess and checks tinge in red. It didn't take much to confirm Sasuke's suspicions. The man in front of them had clear signs of a temper. The bruise on Naruto's cheek had definably come from the man in front of them.

"It's quite alright. If you don't mind me saying Mr Gakure an amicable split is better in the public eye…" Sasuke felt a guarded feeling come over him as Nagato tried to stare his unfazed brother down. "I mean no harm. I'm just saying a messy divorce doesn't go away quickly…"

"I will keep that in mind Mr Uchiha. Now if you don't mind I need to call my lawyer" Sasuke and Itachi left without a word. They remained in silence until they got to their car, hoping in the back as the driver held the door open for them.

"What do you think?" Sasuke questioned. He stared out the window his mind on Naruto. He wondered where he was right now and if he was okay. He was sure Nagato hadn't hurt him again since they had been on the premises but from the raised voices he assumed it was a nasty verbal exchange.

"I think. That Mr Gakure does not let go of his possessions easily" Sasuke spun his head quickly, his eyes narrowing.

"Naruto is not a possession Oniisan" he spat out. Itachi nodded in agreement.

"I didn't say he was…but to Nagato…" Sasuke understood what he had meant. They had both seen it numerous times. Living in the top end of society they came across numerous greedy men and woman that saw people as possessions. They used them as toys and if they weren't done with playing with them it was nearly impossible to pull those people out of the iron grip hold they had.

But Sasuke was certain Naruto was different. For one the man had moved quickly when cutting ties. Throwing divorce papers straight away rather than sticking it out. Sasuke had also seen how passionate he was and passionate people were strong people. "Kakashi, pull over"

"Oniisan?" Sasuke asked confused. He watched as Itachi quickly got out of the car. Sasuke remained inside the vehicle, waiting for his brother to return and when he did his eyes grew wide. Naruto slid in behind him. His eyes were bloodshot from crying and his hair feel forward as he looked at his feet. Naruto avoided his stared, obviously embarrassed about his current condition.

"Naruto's going to stay with us for tonight" a soft sniffle came from Naruto and Sasuke watched as a blush rose to his cheeks. It reminded Sasuke of yesterday but this time it gave him no pleasure. The blonde man looked so fragile he was fearful to touch him, afraid that even the smallest pressure would cause the man to crumble. It made Sasuke's heart clench in pain and yet to him it was a beautiful sight. Naruto was so vulnerable, his emotions pouring out from every whimper and slight movement. It made Sasuke want to go back to the house they just left and beat Nagato to a bloody pulp but at the same time he wanted to take Naruto into his arms and hide him from the world. He wanted to wrap the fragile man up so that no harm could come to him again.

"Thank you" Naruto's voice was fainter then a whisper but Sasuke heard it and gave him a reassuring smile. He wanted Naruto to know he was safe with him.


	6. Awkward breakfast and messages

A/N: Thank you once again for the reviews! Shadeofblue pointed out to me my error in using Oniisan so from now on that will change! sorry about that everyone! eek sorry Shadeofblue fixed my error! honestly thank you for pointing them out i appreciate it!

...

Naruto woke up the next morning feeling a bit more refreshed. His eye's felt dried out though, causing them to sting slightly. He was grateful for Itachi and Sasuke. Both men hadn't pried. They had shown Naruto to a guest room and left him be. It was like the two men had understood that he needed time to himself. That he needed time to cry out all of his pain before opening up. Of course Naruto had felt awkward about the situation. Two men, who were basically strangers to him saw him so open and vulnerable. It was always going to have some level of uneasy tip toeing from each party. Naruto looked over to his phone and groaned at the constant buzzing from it.

He reached out a fumbling hand to grab it, his eye's squinting in an effort to reduce the stinging in them. Naruto flicked past the messages from his now ex-husband, deciding to read them later when he had the mental strength and opened the one's from Sakura and Gaara. The last message from Sakura causing him to frantically call her back. Naruto heard the phone click over and quickly pulled the phone a safe distance away from his ear.

"_DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I HAVE BEEN YOU IDIOT!"_ the fiery, pink haired woman screamed down the phone. _"I CALLED EVERYONE! I WAS ABOUT TO CALL THE DAMN COPS!"_

"I'm sorry for worrying you Sakura…" Naruto replied back quickly. The concern in her tone making his stomach clench. She sounded frantic and on the verge of tears.

"_Jesus Naruto…I thought…I thought…"_ there was a crack in her voice and a soft sob emitted from the phone. Naruto swore under his breath. He hadn't even thought about calling Sakura and letting her know he was okay. He had just been so wrapped up in his own thought's no one else had crossed his mind.

"I'm so sorry Sakura…I just…things got a little bit messy" Naruto looked up to the ceiling. He had no idea how he was going to explain to Sakura that he ended up at the Uchiha brother's mansion.

"_If that low life, piece of crap hurt you…I swear to god Naruto"_ The blonde held back a laugh. Yes Sakura was small in stature but Naruto knew from experience she had one hell of a temper, followed up but a pretty hefty punch. _"He didn't hurt you did he…"_

"No…not really…I'm okay Sakura I just sort of…fell apart while driving" he heard his long-time friend let out a sigh of relief.

"_Where are you? I'll come and get you"_ Naruto wrestled with himself. He knew if he told Sakura she would probably flip out on him but he also wanted to avoid what Naruto assumed would be an awkward breakfast. He was about to answer when there was a knock on the door and the driver from last night poked his silver haired covered head through the door.

"I've been told to get you for breakfast. Itachi has gone to work but Sasuke is waiting for you in the kitchen" the phone dropped out of his hand as a piercing shriek came from it, startling Naruto and causing his ear to ring. Naruto nodded quickly to the man, feeling embarrassed that he didn't remember his name.

"Thank you…" Naruto assumed the man smiled from the way the mask that covered his mouth shifted slightly upwards.

"Kakashi Hakate, I'm the Uchiha brother personal assistant, driver, body guard…well I guess you could call me their carer" Naruto chuckled at the idea of the obviously powerful brother's needing a carer. Naruto's attention was brought back to the phone he had dropped and quickly picked it back up.

"_Sasuke…You are at Sasuke Uchiha's…You lucky idiot" _Naruto rolled his eyes. Now he remembered why the name seemed so familiar to him. Sakura had spent quite a bit of time fawning over tabloids in school, sketching Sakura Uchiha into her notepad. Eventually she had given up pursing the man once it had been revealed he preferred the company of men. _"You have to tell me everything!"_

"Uh…I have to go Sakura, can't leave breakfast waiting you know…" he quickly pressed the end button, cutting off whatever Sakura was saying. He really didn't have the energy to listen to her fan girl. "Sorry about that, I'll quickly get changed"

"Take your time, I'll wait outside the door so I can show you the way" Naruto saw the man pull a familiar book out of his pocket as he was closing the door. It made him smile as he remembered his godfather, it was like he was being reminded that even though the man wasn't their physically he was still in Naruto's heart.

Naruto jumped out of bed and flipped open his suitcase. He cringed at how messy everything had been thrown in and rummaged through it to find something less wrinkled. He eventually settled on a pair of jeans and an orange crew neck sweater. It wasn't anything flash but he really was only aiming for comfort. Naruto the proceeded to the bathroom with his toiletries. Quickly brushing his teeth he moved onto his hair. He tried to make it presentable but as always it jumped back to its usual messy spikes. What was Naruto's main issue though was the still noticeable bruise on his face. This time he didn't have Sakura to cover it up for him.

Naruto felt his vulnerability crawl up him the longer he stared at it. There was nothing he could do though, he was going to have to go to breakfast, mark and all. He looked down that the sink and gripped it tightly. He was angry at himself. He was letting Nagato's actions cause him to be ashamed of himself and it was wrong. He wasn't at fault here, the bruise on his face and the matching one on his arm showed that. He could not control Nagato's actions and he should not feel that blame for them either.

"Are you alright in there?" Kakashi called out. Naruto took a deep breath in a put a smile on his face. Even though it looked broken and forced to him it was better than nothing. He made his way out of the bathroom and gave Kakashi a light nod. "Alright, follow me"

…

The first thing that Naruto noticed of the kitchen was the smell. It made his nostrils flare and his mouth water. Never had he smelt some many deliciously intertwining smells in his life. His eyes followed the smell and they widened when they landed on the table. Laid out in front of him was numerous amounts of dishes. Pancakes sat next to waffles, Sausages next bacon and fried eggs. Plates of fruits and sauces were scattered around and Naruto felt like he had walked into breakfast heaven.

"I didn't know what you liked so I sort of made whatever I could think of" Sasuke looked up from his seat at the table, folding a newspaper in his lap. An amused smirk crossed his features when he saw Naruto's glazed expression.

"Y-you made all of this?" Sasuke got up and pulled out a seat across from him for Naruto to sit in. Naruto quickly clambered over, his mind trying to decided what to eat first.

"Just because I'm rich doesn't mean I like servants to do all the work" Sasuke shot back teasingly. Naruto felt a blush creep up his cheeks, he hadn't meant to insult his host. He was just honestly shocked at the quantity of food there was. "What are you waiting for Dobe?"

"Oh, sorry! Thank you for the food!" Naruto bowed his head in appreciation and pilled food on to his plate. He ignored the expression Sasuke made as when he lathered it all in sweet golden syrup. "You're not eating?"

"I'm not that big on sugar or fat" Naruto shrugged. In his mind it was Sasuke's loss. He eyed the man's small bowl of fruit and yoghurt with curiosity though as he shovelled food into his mouth. Naruto could never live on such foods. He loved greasy food that made you regret eating it. You would never know by looking at him though. The blonde man was extremely toned for being a bottomless food pit.

The two sat in silence while they ate. Surprisingly Naruto felt it was comfortable, almost like the two had come to an agreement to not talk. Once they plates had been cleared though Sasuke turned his attention to him and Naruto felt like slinking away. He wasn't sure if he was ready to answer any questions, especially from someone he barely knew.

"Naruto…" Sasuke looked just as nervous as he did. "If you ever need to talk…"

"It's okay Sasuke. I don't…I mean…I'm not ready to talk. This is all so fresh and I think I just need time to…process it all" Naruto flinched as Sasuke reached over and laid a hand on his bruise, his onyx eyes fluctuating through a number of emotions.

"I understand" Naruto let out his breath when Sasuke removed his hand and dropped the conversation. Once again he was grateful how quickly the man picked up on his reservations about talking.

"Thank you…" he shuffled in his seat uncomfortably. "Thank you for giving me a place to stay last night"

"Don't thank me, thank Itachi" Naruto felt his face drop, a part of him was hoping that it had been Sasuke's idea. "Do you have anywhere to go? You can stay here for as long as you like"

"Oh…I'm going to stay with my friend Sakura while I find a place. I should have enough money from my job to get me by"

….

Sasuke was disappointed when Naruto rejected his offer. He had really hoped the man would stay so he could spend more time with him. Right now things were awkward between them but that was due to the circumstances surrounding the situation but if the blonde man had stayed longer Sasuke was certain he could bring a smile back to his face. He had attempted to this morning by cooking breakfast. Sasuke did feel like he over did it in that department at first but the second he saw Naruto begin to eat he was happy he had made so much.

"The offer will always be there, I'm sure Itachi wouldn't mind as it would give him the opportunity to talk about the shelter with you" Sasuke wanted to hit himself in the head. Here was a man looking fragile and slightly broken and instead of being comforting he was making it sound all about business.

"I'll remember that" The two men stared at each other, both unsure what to say. There was an elephant in the room and Sasuke would not be the one to approach that subject. Besides why would Naruto trust Sasuke, they had only just met really and to ask the man to open up about something so personal would be an stupid move.

"Can I just say something?" the way Naruto looked up at him fearfully made Sasuke want to pulverise Nagato into the ground. "That man…he is an idiot and he didn't deserve you" Naruto averted his gaze and Sasuke wanted to pull at his hair. He felt so stupid, it was such a dumb thing to say.

"He wasn't always this way or maybe he was and I just didn't see it until now. But…your right, I do deserve better" Naruto lifted his head up and Sasuke felt his breath hitch in his throat. Naruto's smile was wide and real. Not like the fake ones he had sent him every now and then. It was a smile that radiated the warmth of the sun, one that could thaw the coldest of hearts. "This may be weird but…can you read my messages for me?" Naruto held out his phone. "I don't feel like I have the strength to look at them so will you read them and delete the worst ones for me?"

"Are you sure? I mean, isn't that some sort of invasion of privacy?" Naruto shrugged and Sasuke took the phone into his hands gingerly.

"If you don't want to its okay…I just don't want to read anything I don't have to..." there it was again, that fear in Naruto's eyes and it made Sasuke agree in a second. If he could protect Naruto from any unnecessary harm he would "Ignore the one's from Sakura and Gaara, I'll look at them later"

"Want to watch a movie while I do this then? It would be a bit more comfortable" Naruto nodded and Sasuke led him towards their theatre room. It was an indulgence on Sasuke's part when he was a child and over the years he found the room to be a sort of sanctuary for him. "Pick whatever you want"

"I'm so pissed right now" Sasuke raised an eyebrow and he watched Naruto gape at the room. "How come I never thought of making a room like this? Seriously this is amazing" he watched as Naruto made his way towards the wall of Blu-ray disks and felt Naruto's phone buzz in his hand. "I don't believe it! You have the crow!"

"Cult classic, how could I not?" Sasuke smirked. Naruto put the disk in and settled himself into one of the leather theatre seats at the back. Sasuke sat next to him and handed Naruto the phone back quickly. "You need to unlock it…"

"Oh, yeah…" Naruto slowly put the pin code in and Sasuke took hold of the phone again. He clicked on the message icon and immediately cringed. Naruto's inbox was full, granted there was quite a few from his two friend but the majority was from Nagato.

Sasuke began to slowly flick through the messages, one at a time. They started off angry, obviously sent right after Naruto leaving. Some threats, others accusing Naruto of ruining the man's future career. Sasuke decided it was best to leave the ones with clear threats and delete the rest. Yes it would be hard for Naruto to see them but he could also use them as evidence if the need arose. Time flicked on and the messages gradually changed, fluctuating over a range of emotions. Eventually it evened out to pathetic pleading, begging for Naruto to forgive him.

Sasuke looked over to Naruto who was completely engrossed in the movie and he wondered if Naruto would be okay with him deleting these ones. They weren't offensive but they also had the potential to make Naruto doubt his decision. Sasuke felt uneasy. He knew if he deleted them there would be a part of him that would be doing it for his own personal gain.

"Naruto…" he grimaced when those blue eyes pierced into his. "There are some messages I'm not sure I should get rid of..."

"If it's ones of him apologising delete them. I made the right decision and I won't go back on that" Sasuke nodded, his finger hovering over the trash button. "It's okay Sasuke"

"Done" he watched as the progress bar popped up, slowly colouring in as it went through all the messages Sasuke had ticked for deletion. "I've kept the ones that threaten you physical harm…I know it's a bit rough but they may come in handy later. I've put them in a separate folder so you don't accidentally click on them"

"Thank you, I know it was a bit strange me asking you to do this for me but if I'm honest I'm barely holding myself together right now. I don't want to deal with anything I shouldn't have to and I know if those messages were left on my phone I would read them and I know I shouldn't" Sasuke gave him an understanding nod and Naruto took back the phone. The two of them feel back into a comfortable silence as the world around them slipped away and they focused on the screen in front of them.

…

Nagato threw his phone across his office causing it to smash against the wall. He had been messaging Naruto all night and not once had he replied. He was beyond frustrated. Not only had the man walked out on him he had potentially taken his whole career with him. Nagato was about to start his campaign and what the city saw as a crucial support system for the man was gone. Not only that though; the anti-same sexed marriage crazies would jump on it within seconds. Nagato pulled at his hair as he envisioned his dreams slipping away from him.

"Calm down Nagato, we can fix this" Orochimaru stated, flicking through the rather extensive divorce papers. "It seems Naruto is only interested in getting out what he put in, for example the money he put into this house"

"That's not the issue! The issue is without Naruto my campaign will flop!" Orochimaru put the papers down and placed his hands in his lap, a bored expression on his face.

"Everyone has their price Nagato…" he stopped pacing and quirked his head to the side. "Figure out what you can use to your advantage…"

"What are you implying Orochimaru?" the man had always reminded Nagato of a snake. It made a part of him disgusted to even have anything to do with him. He was untrustworthy and manipulative but Nagato needed him; he was brilliant.

"From what you have told me Naruto isn't going to come back without some initiative…even if it is just for publicity. But if you found something that he would give everything up for then maybe we could come to some sort of arrangement with him, convince him to put off this divorce until you are in office"

"Isn't that blackmail?" it didn't sit right with Nagato. There was something in him screaming to just sign the papers and let Naruto move on. He had done enough damage. But the majority of him was interested. His goals were far more important than Naruto and he'd be damned if he let his husband embarrass him even further.

"Call it a win win situation. You get put in office and Naruto will get whatever he agrees to" Orochimaru stood up, placing the papers into his bag. "I'll look over these further tonight"

"The shelter…" a cruel smile flicked across Orochimaru's face and Nagato stared back at him with a determined look on his face. "If there is anything in this world that Naruto would give anything up for it's the youth shelter"

"I can work with that"

…


	7. Heart on his sleeve

Naruto sat next to Gaara in a circular meeting room, his hands in his lap and thumbs twiddling together. He felt like he wanted to vomit. It was the first time he would see Nagato again since dropping off the divorce papers. Gaara had been surprised how quickly Orochimaru had requested a meeting and had become wary, causing him to insist the meeting was held at his firm's office. Naruto hadn't expected a meeting at all, especially not a week later.

Naruto had spent the time with Sakura when he wasn't at work or the shelter, which had been quite a bit of time. Sakura was the shelters medical physician and she had insisted Naruto cut back his hours. He had reluctantly agreed with her. Naruto had felt far too fragile and the people he supported needed to see him strong, not the mess he was currently. He almost felt like a cracked sheet of glass, one bit of pressure and he would smash to the floor.

"Just let me do the talking Naruto and don't directly engage with him" Naruto nodded and kept his eyes on the floor. He had found himself wishing Sasuke was with him. Ever since he had left the Uchiha mansion he had felt an urge to take Sasuke up on his offer. He had felt safe and strong around Sasuke. Naruto had refrained from getting in contact with him though. He didn't want to burden Sasuke anymore then he had.

"Something isn't right Gaara" Naruto whispered. He could feel it deep down in his gut there was something very wrong with all of this. Gaara grasped his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Hey, you've got me backing you up. We have this" The door creaked open and Naruto paled at the sight of his soon to be, well he hoped soon to be ex-husband. Orochimaru and Gaara exchanged a head nod, indicating they acknowledge each other on a professional level. "Orochimaru…Mr Gakure"

"Gaara…we've asked for this meeting to present an arrangement between my client and Mr Uzumaki" Orochimaru stated as he sat down, Nagato on his right and opposite the shaking blonde.

"There is no negotiation, we have presented you with our terms and that is final" Naruto refused to look across the table but he could sense the confidence rolling off the other two men.

"We are not here to negotiate the terms, in fact due to Mr Uzumaki only perusing the investments he contributed to everything is pretty clear cut" Orochimaru took out a stack of papers and put them in front of him.

"As I said we have a proposition…to do with the youth shelter" Naruto's head shot up and his eyes widened is disbelief.

"You bastard! How dare you bring the shelter into this!" Gaara placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder to calm him down and steeled his eyes onto Orochimaru.

"This arrangement can benefit both parties. You see, the damage of this divorce is extreme when it comes to my clients career prospects so all we are asking is a postponement and in return Nagato will put the shelter under a trust when he enters office. This trust will be put in the name of who Naruto sees fit to oversee it" Naruto froze in his seat. As it was the government technically owned the building and the land the shelter was on. If it was put into a trust it would prevent any sale of the land unless authorised by the person with the trust's authority.

"We are offering a simple divorce, one that reduces any damage to Mr Gakure's political standings, as it is Naruto has very little involvement with that part of Mr Gakure's life, the effects would be minimal" Naruto had zoned out, he could hear Gaara talking but his mind was spinning.

"I believe the damage would be significant. Naruto is seen as a key support person, combined with Naruto's charitable activities the loss of that could lose a substantial amount of votes. Also this isn't an ordinary divorce due to our client's sexual orientation, the opposition can use that as fuel to create a slur campaign" Gaara went to speak but Naruto quickly cut him off. Orochimaru was right and even though he had begun to despise Nagato it was a good offer. He could guarantee the future of the shelter and Nagato could achieve what he had been working towards most of his life.

"What do you want in return?" Naruto questioned. He felt Gaara narrow his eyes at him taking the bait but he didn't care. "What are the terms of this arrangement?"

"For publicity purposes you will maintain the image of being married to my client. Attend banquets, rallies or any event you are needed at to show support" Orochimaru stated, flicking over the paperwork in front of him.

"I won't live with him" he saw Nagato's fist's clench and shrunk back. He knew he was putting himself at risk even being in the same room as Nagato.

"You won't have to, as I stated it is purely for show" Naruto leant back in his seat and ran a hand through his hair. He looked towards Gaara who had his lips in a firm line and eyes holding a glare that even Naruto was scared of.

"And if my client doesn't agree to this?" Gaara spat out. It was obvious they had them in a corner. Not because there wasn't any way out but because Naruto would never turn down a deal that involved the shelter. Orochimaru had played his cards well.

"Let's just say the land could be worth a lot of money…metaphorically of course it wouldn't be too hard to suggest the sale of it" Orochimaru slid a piece of paper into the middle of the table and Naruto quickly snatched it. He knew they would make good on their threat and he wouldn't let his personal issues put the future of so many in jeopardy.

"Naruto, let me read over it first" Gaara went to take the contact but Naruto quickly scrawled his signature down. "Naruto!"

"I don't care Gaara, it's only a year and there will be people around at all times" he threw the paper back at Nagato and their eyes locked together. Naruto's in disgust and the red head's in triumph. Naruto questioned how he had ever loved such an under handed man.

"There is a clause in there about dating, after all it wouldn't look good for appearances if you were seen with another man…" Naruto bit his lip. It's not like he had even thought about dating but a part of him had hoped that maybe something would happen between him and a certain onyx eyed man. There was no harm in being friends though, after all Sasuke and Itachi were possibly going to become the shelters benefactors.

"That's fine…" a pained look fluttered across Gaara's face as he replied. It wasn't like he could change the clause after Naruto had hastily signed the agreement.

"Well now that's settled we have other business to attend to. We will be in touch with a list of events you will be expected to be at. Good day to you both" Orochimaru stood up and waited for Nagato to do the same.

"Do you want something?" Naruto spat out at him. He had never been so angry in his life. Not only had he walked straight into their trap but he had agreed to it without thinking it over first. Nagato would have known he would let his emotions make his decision for him and cloud his judgement.

"Sasuke Uchiha, stay away from him" Naruto stood up angrily, flinging his chair backwards as he leant forward towards the calm red head.

"I have agreed not to date you manipulative asshole but don't you dare think for a second you control any other part of my life" Gaara quickly pulled Naruto backwards.

"Get out of here before I call security" he spat out, standing in front of his enraged friend in a protective manor. "You've won this round Orochimaru but don't think for a second I won't find a way to reverse this"

"Try all you like brat" the two agitating men left the room quickly and Naruto felt his legs go weak. Gaara caught him effortlessly and grabbed him a drink of water after sitting him in a chair.

"I'm an idiot" Naruto breathed out and put his head in his hands. He hated how he played so easily into Nagato's games. He had let himself be so predictable that he had given up everything again without even thinking twice about it. Naruto knew it was the right thing, the shelter came first but he could have at least let Gaara negotiate. Who knew what other little clause's Nagato had put in to keep him on a leash.

"Yes you are but your and idiot with a good heart" Gaara gave him a weak smile. "I'll figure something out Naruto, I won't let those men use you as a puppet"

"But what about the shelter?" Gaara grabbed Naruto's hands into his.

"Listen to me Naruto. I will find a way to make all of this work. I will keep the shelter safe and I will ensure you have control over your life again but I need to look over this contract properly to find out the full extent of what you have agreed to" Naruto numbly nodded and pulled out his phone.

"You interested in BBQ tonight?" Gaara shook his head but smiled slightly.

"No, I need to read over this bullshit agreement but say hi to everyone for me" Gaara moved to collect his things and the copy of the agreement Orochimaru had left behind for him. "Naruto, try have a good night"

"I will. It's not all bad really, he's agreed to a divorce so all I have to do is survive the year of boring political parties"

….

"Sakura!" Naruto bellowed out as he rubbed the back of his head. The small statured woman stood in front of him with her hands on her hips and a disappointed frown on her lipstick covered lips. Naruto was sure he could feel a lump forming from where she had wacked him. He didn't blame her though, in fact he was expecting it.

"You're an idiot Naruto!" she glared out. "You got out, you had done it and now look, you've played right into his hands. He messed with your head with those stupid games of his and now you've given him a chance to dictate your life through a stupid piece of paper!"

"Don't you think I know that Sakura! I feel stupid enough as it is without you lecturing me" Sakura grabbed him, quickly pulling him into an engulfing hug. Naruto wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on top of hers.

"I know you're doing it for the right reason Naruto, it would be amazing if we could secure the shelter under the protection of a trust…that man he's just so frustrating!" Naruto placed a light kiss on her forehead and gave her his bright smile. He didn't want her to worry. If all he had to do was turn up to snooty events and pretend to be a doting husband it was worth that security. It wouldn't be to hard either considering he had spent most of his marriage doing just that. "Tonight had been fun though"

"Yeah it was, I've missed everyone" Naruto and Sakura had spent the evening with Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, Hinata, Shino and Kiba. The group had been childhood friends since they started school and had been inseparable ever since, even if Naruto did play the odd prank on them. Even though they all volunteered together at the shelter Naruto had barely spent any time with them outside of it. Nagato had always insisted he spent his spare time with him at home and until now Naruto didn't realise how much he had missed them all.

"They were worried you know…everyone's been worried" Sakura made her way over to the kitchen and began to pull out a small kettle. "We always hope you would see things the way we did"

"Sakura…please, I don't want to talk about this" he flopped down onto the woman's couch and put his feet up onto the coffee table. "This is…hard for me. I've always been the independent one, the one who could hold his own ground and look after himself. Lately…I haven't felt like that person. I feel weak. I need time to heal from this before I can talk about it because right now I feel like I'm barely keeping it together"

"Naruto…Move in with me" her tone was decisive and it caused Naruto to let out a small chuckle. "Not in here of course. Let's find a bigger place. You need somewhere to live and splitting the cost we can afford a nice place"

"Sakura, I'm not sure that's a good idea" she placed a cup of tea in front of him and gave him a look that said she had already made up her mind.

"Look, you need someone to look after you right now whether you like it or not. You're a mess and you've put yourself in a vulnerable positon. I know you want to do this on your own but the reality is you can't so suck it up and take the help offered to you" Naruto found himself trying to escape into the back of the couch. It was obvious Sakura had been spending way too much time around Tsunade. "I want out of this crummy apartment and you need somewhere to live"

"You promise you won't smother me to death with your mothering?" he replied cheekily back, earning him another whack to the head.

"Nope, I'll be the one knocking some sense into you" she sat down on the couch next to him and tucked her legs under her.

"Alright, let's give it a go" his eyes lit up, the crystal blues swirling with happiness and excitement.

"Don't expect me to do your washing by the way and warn me if you are bringing company home" Naruto choked on his drink, causing him to splutter.

"Sakura! I just left my husband I'm in no rush to find someone…even if I could I don't think I would want to" Sakura gave him a knowing look and picked up a magazine off the table.

"Not even if that person was Sasuke Uchiha?" she smirked. Naruto felt his cheeks heat up and he concentrated swirling the tea in his hands around. "You like him!"

"He's…nice" he replied glancing at the cover she held up. Sasuke was on the front, posing awkwardly in a custom ordered suit. The expression on his face was one that Naruto could only associate to boredom but he couldn't help study every detail of his face. There was a slight hint of Photoshop but overall it looked barely touched up.

"You do! You are totally into Sasuke!" Naruto shook his head but didn't say anything to tell her otherwise. She was right, he did feel an attraction towards him.

"It doesn't matter, no dating remember" he moved quickly, avoiding her hand that had flung towards him.

"Naruto Uzumaki, you will not let some flimsy piece of paper stop you from dating. If I'm not correct, which I am by the way, it says you cannot date in _public" _Naruto groaned, of course Sakura would find some wriggle room round that clause. She was right but Naruto couldn't see Sasuke as the relationship hiding type.

"I'll think about it" he finished the rest of the tea and offered her a hand up. "Now get off my bed, I ate way too much and I feel a food coma coming on"

"Alright, alright no need to get bossy. I'll wake you up bright and early so we can go apartment hunting" she threw a few blankets at him and left the room, leaving him to make the couch into a makeshift bed. His mind wandered to what Sakura had said. Was he really prepared to let Nagato stop him from moving on? If someone really wanted to be with him and he was honest surely they would understand the situation. It's not like Naruto was opposed to the idea of dating, well he was but if a person worth his time came along why should he let his past dictate that for him.


	8. New apartment

A/N: sorry this chapter is so short! I just wanted to make clear parts of the arrangement Naruto signed. I've had a lot of comments saying how they wished Naruto had punched Nagato which made me smile! I would have loved to written that in but I'm trying to show that Naruto is still has a fearful mentality. In future though I will definitely keep that in mind!

…..

The apartment Naruto and Sakura had walked into wasn't small but it wasn't big either. It was cosy though. The kitchen was small but the living room was a pretty reasonable size that could fit Sakura's lounge furniture and dining table in with room to spare. The bedrooms were partially furnished which Naruto was thankful for considering he only had his suitcase to bring with him and he would rather not try to convince Nagato to hand over a spare bed from his old house. There were two bathrooms, one connected to the lounge and the other, slightly smaller one attached to one of the rooms. The walls were a light cream colour with wooden trimmings around the window and the floors matching. Naruto could appreciate a wooden floor because in his mind they were far easier to clean.

"This is it, this is the one Naruto!" Sakura squealed as she poked her head behind each door. "And the price is pretty reasonable to!"

"Are you sure about this Sakura? I mean, this place is the best one we've seen but if you're not one hundred percent sure then we can keep looking" Naruto agreed with Sakura though. The price was just above what they wanted to pay but he didn't think they would find any better. It was close to the hospital where Sakura worked and was only a ten minute walk to the shelter. Naruto would still have to drive to get to his job but he was use to that anyway. What stood out most to Naruto though was the security of the complex the apartment was in. It had a code at the front door and one for the garage; along with this there were camera's set up that had a guard watching over at the front desk. Right now Naruto felt he would be happy with anything as long as he could feel safe.

"Yes! This place is perfect, as long as I get the bedroom with the bathroom" she sent him a side glance to judge his reaction. Of course she would want that bedroom.

"There's more sun in the other room which suits me" he smiled back. Even if he did want the room with the bathroom he wasn't prepared to fight Sakura over it. He had spent the past few weeks taking note of how long she hogged the bathroom at her old apartment and the clutter was like a bomb filled with beauty products had exploded. Compared to that all Naruto had was a comb, tooth brush and a bit of soap for the shower.

"Then it's settled!" she clapped her hands and bounced over to the real estate agent that had let them in to inspect the place. Naruto took this time to look around properly and felt a calmness wash over him. He had missed living in places like this, it helped ground him and remember his roots. Flashy mansions filled with expensive furniture and art had always made him feel out of place and uncomfortable but here, in a place like this he knew he would be able to relax and rebuild his life. "Naruto! You need to come sign"

"So the bond is two weeks rent and another two weeks in advance and you both will be locked into a six month contract that will be possible to renew for a longer period If you see fit" the agent smiled at them, relief sketched onto the exhausted man's face. Naruto didn't blame him for he felt the same way. They had seen at least ten other properties today and he was starting to feel nothing would meet Sakura's expectations.

"Are you okay with that?" Sakura asked warily as Naruto scrawled down his mark on the contract. He nodded quickly, sure it would take up his savings but he did have a steady income coming in to cover every cost after that. Gaara had also made sure that Naruto created a new bank account under his name and switch his salary payments to be paid into it as Gaara feared Nagato would cut off Naruto's access to their joint account. He had been right, Naruto had tried to make a withdrawal a few days ago and was told his card had been frozen. Thankfully he had managed to take out his savings and transfer it before that had happened.

"When do you to think you will be able to move in? As you can see the previous tenants have already left so it is available to be occupied right away" Naruto decided to leave that decision up to Sakura since it would be mostly her belongings that they would need to move.

"Next weekend, we work during the week so that's the only free time we will have and it gives me time to sort out a moving truck" The agent nodded and handed them their copy of the contract.

"That should be no problem, come down to the office during the week to pick up the keys" they followed the man out of the building and thanked him one last time before making their way to Gaara's. He had rung in the morning saying that he had gone over the agreement Naruto had signed and needed to discuss it with him. Sakura had instead that she would come with him.

"Should we pick up dinner on the way? I know it's a bit early but I'm starving!" Naruto gave her a weak smile. He didn't particularly feel hungry, which was a new experience for him but he was nervous.

"Let's just order in, I'm sure Gaara won't mind" They sat in silence, Naruto driving and Sakura looking at the buildings going by.

…..

Gaara lived in a relatively upmarket area in town. It suited him though Naruto thought. It was an area where men of business such as lawyers resided, almost like a bachelor situation but without the influx of girls. The people who lived in the area were workaholics and Gaara's place represented that. It was a clean apartment but case files we splayed out over most flat surfaces to make up for the slight emptiness of the place. When Gaara opened the door Naruto noted how tired he looked.

"You didn't stay up all night working on this did you?" he frowned, inspecting the bags under his friend's eyes. It wasn't unusual to see the dark sacks but Naruto hated to think they were their because of him.

"No, I've just got a lot of cases going on at the moment and trying to keep up with them all is taking a toll on me" They sat down at the breakfast bar which was the only surface not covered in paper and Gaara poured each of them a drink. "How's work at the hospital Sakura? Temari said it's been quite hectic"

"It's alright, the weather has been causing a higher intake but were managing" Temari was Gaara's older sister. She was a hard arse that made sure to keep her family in line and also the hospital's head physiotherapist.

"Good, I've order some food for us, I hope you guys don't mind but I haven't eaten all day" Gaara sat down next to them and hunched his shoulders forwards in a relaxed manor.

"Neither have we, somebody…spent the entire day dragging me around apartments without a break" Sakura poked her tongue out at the cheeky blonde. "Let's get this bullshit out of the way first though, I'd rather not let it ruin dinner"

"Ah, yes…" Gaara shifted uncomfortably and Naruto felt his body stiffen. "It's not exactly…bad"

"Just spit it out" Sakura growled, her mood changing in an instance.

"Well it's pretty straight forward" Gaara reached over the counter and grabbed the intrusive agreement. "The first few clauses basically just state that Naruto will attend events that prick sees as important and that he is expected to be there on time and dressed appropriately but there are two parts that make me…worried"

"Is it the dating clause?" Sakura questioned "Because I've already found a way around that"

"Trust you to find a way Sakura. It's the repercussions that I'm worried about though. It states that if Naruto enters into any relations that he must accept all responsibility and the agreement will be forfeited" Naruto was confused, he had already assumed that would be the case. If you made an agreement and broke the rules then of course that agreement would be broken. "It's basically saying that publicly you will accept the failure of your marriage and hold all blame…it leaves Nagato as the good guy and you'll be hung out to dry"

"I guess that makes sense, I mean they just want Nagato to have a good image right? so taking the sympathetic route works in their favour…" To say it made Naruto uncomfortable was an understatement. He knew he was right for leaving Nagato, the man had mentally and physically abused him but placing the blame on him in the public eye for infidelity didn't sit right to him. He felt like it was sweeping the real issue aside when he was supposed to be someone who stood up against violence. If he shouldered the blame he was agreeing to be a part of a culture of victim blaming and that went against his personal and professional morals.

"That's not all" Gaara handed a page to Naruto and he pointed to the middle of it. Naruto skim read it and his face fell. "By signing this you've agree to be seen in public with him outside events to avoid suspicion towards your marriage"

"I can't…" Naruto didn't think he could cope being alone with his husband. Sure put him in a room full of people that he could easily use to keep a distance between them and he would be fine. To have to be alone with him, even if it was in public made his hands feel clammy with fear.

"You don't have to do this Naruto, you still have a choice" Sakura grabbed his hand in an attempt to comfort him. "Everyone will understand, we will find a way to buy the shelter ourselves"

"If we buy the shelter it was be considered privately owned…our government funding will be cut" Naruto wanted to regret his decision but if he was honest with himself he didn't. He knew what was important and for the sake of children the shelter was helping or could help in the future he would endure the agreement. He would just have to make sure Nagato understood he wasn't going to be pushed around. "Let's not talk about this anymore, Sakura and I have signed the lease on a new apartment so let's spend the night celebrating!"

….


	9. Date?

A/N. Hello! I am so sorry this has taken me so long! I've been really busy with uni atm so I haven't had time between assignments to work on anything else! Forgive me! Anyway here is a little bit of fluff! I'll do my best to try update quicker but I can't promise anything as I'm about to start placement!

…

Sasuke found himself checking his phone more than usual lately. He had expected Naruto to call him but it seemed the man of his affections had forgotten they had made plans. It was understandable that Naruto had skipped out on the Friday dinner they had planned but he thought he would have at least called to reschedule. Itachi looked up at him from behind the folder he was holding and Sasuke made his token 'tch' sound at him.

"Just call the man already Otouto" Itachi made it sound like it was so simple. Sasuke was an Uchiha, he did not call first. Yes he was pursuing the man but Naruto cancelled the first date so he should be the one to reach out. He sighed in frustration. It wasn't a date, well Naruto was under the assumption it wasn't. Itachi had already sent off the paperwork to their lawyers to sign on as benefactors but Naruto didn't need to know that just yet. "If you don't call him then I will"

"Nii-san!" the last thing he wanted was Itachi to find out he had set up a 'business' meeting. He would probably scold him for tricking Naruto into a date like situation.

"Then stop acting like a nervous teenage and dial" the way Itachi was watching him made him realise his brother wasn't bluffing and he quickly searched his contacts. He hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath and calming his jitters. Sasuke's heart began to beat heavily in his chest as he waited for the line to connect.

"_Sasuke?"_ Naruto sounded surprised at his call. Did he not remember at all?

"Dobe, you forgot about our dinner" there was a paused as he waited for Naruto to remember what he was referring to. "I'm ringing to ask you out to dinner tonight"

"_Oh shit! I'm so sorry, everything has been so crazy it completely slipped my mind!" _Sasuke went to reply but Naruto cut him off. _"Why didn't you call me and remind me Teme!" _

"Tch, I'm not your babysitter dobe" he had a smirk on his face as he enjoyed the banter between them. It had been like this the day after Naruto had stayed with them and he was happy to hear that it wasn't a one off thing.

"_I can do tonight, where do you want to meet?" _Sasuke hadn't thought that far ahead with Itachi putting him on the spot before. _"You're welcome to come here. Sakura has the night shift tonight so it's just me, I can't promise you or Itachi anything for dinner other than a few take out menu's to choose from"_

"Your place sounds…" he stopped, the idea of being alone with Naruto in his apartment made his brain run wild with not so innocent thoughts.

"_What? To under class for your tastes Teme?" _the blonde teased through the phone. Sasuke held back a low groan. Naruto teasing him wasn't helping tame the images his imagination was creating.

"Send me the address, Dobe" he disconnected before Naruto could say anymore. His eyes were slightly hooded and pupils expanded.

"I don't have to tell you again to tread carefully with Naruto do I?" Itachi closed the folder and placed it on the table, he crossed his leg over the other and gave Sasuke a stern glance. "You're playing with fire here Otouto, I would hate for either of you to get burnt"

"Yes Nii-san, I know" Sasuke glared back in a childlike manor. He hated when his brother went all high a mighty, know it all on him. "I am well aware of the situation"

"I like Naruto, he has a good heart and I think he'd be good for you…" Itachi seemed almost awkward. Sasuke and Itachi were close but the younger Uchiha always tried to keep Itachi at a distance when it came to his relationships. The reason being Sasuke grew bored quickly and Itachi just wanted to see his brother meet someone worth settling down with.

"Naruto's…different" Sasuke couldn't put his finger on what it was that made him so interested in the playful blonde. In a matter of weeks he had stirred up more emotion in him than any previous relationship, even when he was with Neji had he not felt this attached.

"I'm having dinner with Deidara tonight, if you need me I have my cell phone" Sasuke nodded and Itachi gave him a small smile before standing up. Deidara had been Itachi's long term boyfriend for the past three years. Sasuke was amazed how the two had managed to keep their relationship so low profile, he even doubted that the press knew about it. Itachi was reserved but Deidara? He was an extravagant artist with a spirited mouth on him. As annoying as the blonde, ponytailed man was Sasuke liked him, he made his brother happy and to him that's all that mattered.

"Say hello for me and tell him stop sending me those ridiculous videos!" Itachi chuckled. Deidara had taken it upon himself to try cheer Sasuke up by sending him video after video of ridiculous cat videos. Sasuke wondered if he was trying to torture him and had told the man numerous time's he did not need cheering up.

"Smile more around him and he'll stop" Itachi jabbed Sasuke on the forehead and quickly departed. Sasuke couldn't remember when Itachi had started doing that little habit but it had come to an understanding between them that it was Itachi's way of telling Sasuke that he loved him. Sasuke took the spot where Itachi had previously been sitting and picked up the file he had left behind. His forehead creased when he opened it. It seemed Itachi was having their cousin Obito followed.

Obito had never been close with them, their two families had struggled for leadership of the clan and Obito's family had lost. They had left the city after that, too ashamed to live amongst the rest of the Uchiha families. It was a tight nit community but that was only due to the tragedy that seemed to have cursed the Uchiha name. Once Itachi's and Sasuke's parents had passed away the clan had decided to become more of a community and keep a low profile, resulting in the two brother's to break away and build up their company. They still had ties to the small community and supported it but they refused to take over leadership; too much bloodshed had come from the struggle so it was better it was community driven rather than the decisions being made by one family.

Sasuke flicked over the file, reading the details carefully. If Obito was back it meant Madara wasn't far behind which meant trouble. Madara had once been the leader of the Uchiha clan but he had been power hungry and was eventually ostracised from the community for his radical ways. Every now and then the man popped up and when he did he usually caused a lot of chaos. If Itachi was having Obito followed it meant he was worried that the two men were planning something. It would explain why his brother was more concerned for him than usual.

Sasuke looked at his watch and sighed, he had time to do a bit of digging before he made his way to Naruto's. He pulled out his phone and flicked down to a number he had used on many occasions. Jugo was a man he trusted with his life and if Sasuke needed information Jugo would go above and beyond to find it.

…

Naruto looked down at the table nervously. He was never one for cooking, sure he knew a few basics but that's as far as it went. Currently his table was covered in an assortment of foods. Yes he went over board and had opted to order from a few places as he had no clue what the two Uchiha brother's liked. He had ordered from a nice Italian place that Sakura had suggested and opted for a simple fettuccini and a small chicken, cranberry and Bree pizza. Naruto had also ordered from a Sushi restaurant just in case they were wanting something healthier alongside with an order of dumplings, jam bean buns and some ramen; Naruto could never say no to ramen. It was far too much for three men but at least Naruto would have left over's to nibble on when he felt hungry.

Naruto jumped at the knock on the door, surprised at how quick the time had flown. If Naruto was honest with himself he wanted to thank Sasuke and Itachi for their hospitality the other week. He had been feeling bad about having little contact with them but he wasn't sure how to face them after signing that damn agreement with Nagato. His stomach dropped at the thought of it. Would they be disappointed in him? Naruto opened the door and went to great them but found only Sasuke standing there with a bottle of Sake in his hand.

"Sorry, Itachi got caught up…I hope you don't mind" Naruto raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. Sasuke didn't have anything with him except for the Sake and he had been expecting him to bring paper work.

"You've set me up haven't you Teme" He questioned. Sasuke raised his hands, a broad smile creeping up on his face.

"You're not as dumb as you look Dobe" Naruto sighed and stood off to the side so Sasuke could enter the apartment. "You're not mad with me are you?"

"Mad? No, irritated…yes. I wouldn't have brought so much food if I had known it was just going to be us" Naruto watched Sasuke inspect the food he had brought, his stomach churning as he waited for approval of it.

"Not bad Dobe, although ramen?" Naruto pouted and snatched the bottle of sake off of Sasuke and went into the kitchen to grab two sake cups. Sasuke smirked at him. "Your favourite I assume?"

"Yes, it is" Naruto handed Sasuke the small cup and they made a clinking sound with them before taking a sip. "So…what is this? Your sneaky way of getting me on a date?"

"Could be if you want it to be Dobe" Naruto pulled out a chair and sat down, watching Sasuke carefully. He wanted this to be a date if he was honest with himself but the agreement was niggling at him. Sakura was right though, he could always tell Sasuke about the agreement and see what his reaction would be.

"Sasuke…I sort of…signed something" Sasuke began to grab some food but kept an eye on Naruto, encouraging him to continue. "It's an agreement and it…it say's I'm not allowed to date…."

"What kind of bullshit agreement is that Dobe?" Sasuke frowned and Naruto squirmed in his seat.

"Well you see, Nagato sort of threatened the shelter so I kind of signed an agreement. Until his campaign is over I play the part of the dutiful husband in public and in return he puts the shelter into a trust" Sasuke frowned, clearly annoyed at what Naruto had done.

"You do realise Itachi has signed Sharingan Industries as the benefactor for the shelter, we could easily buy it if we needed to" Naruto sighed and shook his head. He knew he should have gone to them first but even then he doubted they could have done anything.

"In a trust the government could still subsides the shelter…it's only until his campaign is over...if you wanted we could always try this dating thing after?" Naruto doubted that Sasuke would wait for him, he didn't seem like a patient man and there were plenty of other men out there that Sasuke could date.

"So…You signed an agreement stating that you will play husband in public and I'm assuming it has some bullshit dating clause in it that Nagato threw in to keep you under his control?" Naruto nodded, feeling ashamed of his rash decision. "Well, I guess we'll just have to do this dating thing out of public eye then"

"But…" Sasuke shrugged and Naruto gapped at how calm he was about it all.

"My brother and Dei can do it so it can't be too hard? I mean, technically we have a reason to be seen with each other because of the shelter so it's not like it's suspicious and if Nagato can't prove that we've started dating then he has no ground to revoke the agreement" Naruto remained quiet and grabbed a bowl of ramen. He needed to think over what Sasuke was proposing. He wasn't wrong but could Naruto really be that selfish? Could he put everything at risk just to start something that might not work out in the long run? "Look, I'm not usually one to make compromises but there is just something about you Naruto that I can't turn away from. I'm willing to give this a try if you are, if not I'll wait but it's going to be hard to keep my distance…"

"But…the shelter…" Sasuke leaned backwards on the chair and Naruto observed him carefully. He seemed to not be phased in the slightest.

"Look, I'll talk to Itachi, I'm sure he can find some way around this. The fact is Naruto do you want to put your life on hold? Do you want Nagato to still control your life, even if it is at a distance? I've met many men like Nagato before, this is what they do. They play games and they push and push until they wear the other person down to such a point that they get what they want. I like you Naruto and I'm not scared of Nagato" The strength in Sasuke's tone and eyes made Naruto sway. He stopped his thoughts and he focused on the man in front of him. "Naruto…what do you want?"

"What do I want?" It had been a long time since someone had asked him that. Naruto had gotten so use to letting someone else make decisions for him that he found even the smallest decision to be selfish. So what did he want? "I think…I think I want to give this a try…"

"Are you sure? Because if you're not then I'll respect that and wait" Naruto smiled brightly. Before he had just been trying to make excuses, he had been scared that someone else would try do what Nagato had done. But it was obvious Sasuke was different. Yes he was a little bit blunt but it was nice, he was speaking his mind and there was no manipulation behind it.

"Why not, you said it yourself right, if your brother can keep his relationship out of the lime light then it can't be too hard right?" Sasuke stood up and grabbed the bottle of sake and brought it back to the table.

"Let's drink to it then!" Naruto blushed and held out his cup. He felt excited and slightly giddy. It had been so long since he had dated he wasn't quite sure how to act. "To dating!"

"To dating" Naruto laughed and threw the liquid back. He cringed his face at the taste, he wasn't a big fan of sake. Sasuke smirked at him and Naruto glared at the man for laughing at him. "Teme"

"Dobe" Sasuke reached out his hand across the table and Naruto looked at it warily. "I won't hurt you Naruto…" Sasuke's voice was soft and reassuring. Naruto nodded and placed his hand in Sasuke's, letting the breath he didn't realise he was holding. His hand felt nice in Sasuke's, he hand was just small enough for Sasuke's fingers to wrap around and cup his. Not only that the heat of it sent pleasant shivers up his arms, almost like electricity.


End file.
